Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

With respect, I put it to the Taoiseach that he is not in a position to give the guarantee he gave here today. It is simply not possible under the law as it stands to give that guarantee. This is not about protecting an investment; it is about ownership. When it comes to ownership, the Constitution will always trump any agreement that has been done between the Government and a private religious entity. It is somewhat ironic that the Minister for Health recently set up a group to examine the strange relationship between voluntary hospitals - especially those that are religious based - and the State and to make recommendations for how that relationship can be renegotiated in the future. It is ironic that he looks as if he is about to take steps to repeat the mistakes of the past without having regard to any lessons learned.

In light of what the Taoiseach has said today, I am asking if he will give an undertaking that any draft agreement that is proposed to be done with St. Vincent's Hospital in respect of the national maternity hospital will be brought before the House before it is signed off on by Government. People simply cannot believe, on the evidence of the Constitution and the laws we know of, that what the Taoiseach is proposing is actually possible.

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