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

I thank all Members who contributed to this debate. I also thank the cross-party Oireachtas group, which was formed last month, for helping to put this issue centre stage in politics. I wish to acknowledge and thank Dr. Peter Boylan for the important role he has played and the assistance he has provided. He has been a tireless advocate for women's healthcare. I also thank and acknowledge the role of the campaign against church control of women's healthcare, as well as the National Women's Council, for their help and campaigning on this vital issue.

These and other efforts have resulted in some in government - belatedly - sitting up, talking notice and facing up to the fact what is proposed for the new national maternity hospital is simply not acceptable. It is not acceptable because it fails to protect the public purse. It fails to achieve public ownership and governance. It fails to guarantee the full range of women's healthcare services and ignores the strong public demand to separate church and State.

In a statement yesterday, St. Vincent's made a number of claims, some of which are simply untrue and do not stand up to any kind of scrutiny. Its claim it was imperative it retained ownership of the site for the delivery of integrated patient care at Elm Park is nonsensical. The comments and contribution from the Minister for Health has been extremely disappointing. He continues to be in denial and seems to think he can hide behind the phrase that "it is my preference". He needs to spell out exactly what he will do to address this mess before us and the fundamental issues at its core. He must address ownership of the site, but he must also address the issue of ownership of the national maternity hospital company. It cannot become a subsidiary of St. Vincent's, wholly owned by St. Vincent's. That is what is proposed in the Mulvey agreement. The Mulvey agreement is the problem. It is not the solution.

The new national maternity hospital must be publicly owned and governed. It must be a public hospital. I am calling on the Minister to bring proposals for the future, much needed new national maternity hospital to this Dáil for debate, prior to the Government signing off on any proposals. It is the least we deserve.

I talked earlier about issues of ownership, property and money, issues which arose with St. Vincent's in the 1970s. I could also have talked about similar issues in the 1990s, when St. Vincent's mortgaged the public hospital to fund its private hospital. It is an issue which has created a toxic public-private mix and all of what goes with that.

The nuns have understood the importance of ownership and control of their own hospitals since the 1930s. Why has our Government, in 2021, failed to learn that fundamental lesson? This has gone on long enough. It must stop now, and not just for us, but for future generations of Irish women. The Government has said it will not oppose our motion. That is not enough by the Minister, and it is not enough by the Taoiseach.

This Government must actively support the principles of this motion and make a solemn promise to the people of Ireland. That promise must be that it will not give away ownership or control of another hospital. Nothing else will suffice.

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