Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

On the same issue, it is extraordinary that within five days the national discourse on this has utterly changed. In recent years I have asked the Taoiseach; the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly; the Minister of State, Deputy Butler; and the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about this issue and on each occasion I have been assured that I can move on as there is nothing to be seen or worry about. However, when I asked the Tánaiste about it last Thursday, he reinforced the absolute need for the State to fully own and control the new national maternity hospital. We welcome the fact that the Government will not oppose the motion to be proposed by the Social Democrats tomorrow but the arguments over the costs and the legal complexity involved in the land deal cannot deflect from the essential goal of a fully State-owned, State-run and State-controlled national maternity hospital. Will the Taoiseach respond to the statement of Dr. Peter Boylan that this issue is a test of the State's resolve with regard to who owns critical health infrastructure built with public funds? If we do not do it now, then when? What was Sláintecare all about? Why did the Taoiseach and his Ministers repeatedly assure the House there was no problem with this, given that the Tánaiste differed with them last week?

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