Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

This is not just about a new national maternity hospital. This is a moment in history and the Minister has to decide what side he will be on. Are we going to build a truly public healthcare system, which we are already paying for? This is a moment in history when we have the chance to redefine our republic. The Minister must decide that there is a red line here. This is not about language. He said he would "prefer" it if the land was owned by the State but it is essential that the land is so owned.

We are being asked to gift this hospital. A gun is being put to the head of this State. Why is this happening? In 2013, it was decided that we would build a new national maternity hospital, which would be co-located with another hospital. Since then, we have seen nothing but procrastination from the former Minister for Health and Children, James Reilly, who announced the new hospital and Deputies Varadkar and Harris, as Ministers for Health. The latter told us that he would get this sorted within a month back in 2017. We are now being told that we cannot take the compulsory purchase order, CPO, route because it will delay the project but the delays to date have happened because of procrastination.

We are spending €800 million on a new national maternity hospital, which will be a public asset. On what planet would it be okay to hand that over to a private entity? We have listened carefully to the language that is being used and we know how to decode it. The Minister is saying that he would prefer it if the land was owned by the State but it is not a question of preference. It is essential that it is so. The statement from the St. Vincent's Hospital Group reads: "For the delivery of integrated patient care on the Elm Park Campus, SVHG must retain ownership of the site". Does the group think we are total idiots? Is it seriously suggesting that it cannot provide healthcare unless it owns the ground? There is something more going on here. Is it an issue of ethos, control or money? We cannot allow this to happen.

The Minister does not appreciate how strongly people feel about this. This is not just about our daughters and granddaughters, but about their granddaughters. This is about our future care needs. He has to decide what side he is on. He told us that the Government is not going to oppose this motion but will it actively support it? Will the Government do what the motion calls for? Will it make sure that the new hospital is publicly owned and governed by the State, rather than by a private entity? Will that happen? Will the Minister give this House a categoric assurance that this is what he is aiming to achieve, rather than just preferring the land to be owned by the State? After everything that has happened in this State, as outlined by my colleagues, the idea that we would allow ourselves to be held hostage in this way is just not acceptable. I want an assurance from the Minister that this is a red line, the land will be publicly owned and we will not gift the new national maternity hospital to a private entity. The Minister and this Government must be on the right side of history with regard to this hospital.

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