Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will give a short answer and Dr. Mahony may give a more detailed one. It is because of the history of religion and women's reproductive health in this country.

We cannot countenance a new maternity hospital that would have any religious interference. I would never bring it forward. I do not believe the previous Minister, Deputy Harris, would have ever brought it forward. None of the clinicians here would ever countenance it. Therefore, it has been incumbent upon all of us to put layers of protection in place to deliver what people are rightly demanding. Dr. Mahony might speak to some of those.