Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her contribution. I do not accept the argument the hospital group has put forward that the ownership of the site is essential for the safe, integrated system of care. One can deploy many mechanisms to ensure safe integrated systems of care between two hospitals. The ownership of the site is not critical to that. Given the hospital, in terms of the negotiations that are under way, is in the ownership of the State in any event, I do not think that argument stacks up at all. The St. Vincent’s hospital board will have to reflect on the consensus here and on the public interest. It has to understand the public interest. There has been enormous investment in the existing St. Vincent’s hospital, both capital and current.

The State is building a new maternity hospital and the hospital will have to clear up that point.

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