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

The last time I raised this issue, the Tánaiste answered by begging more questions than he actually answered. It is on the ownership of the national maternity hospital. I asked about the possibility of placing a compulsory purchase order on the land and the legal advice received from the senior counsel, Stephen Dodd. In his answer the Tánaiste described a situation in the national maternity hospital that would see us integrating the new hospital into St. Vincent's hospital holdings rather than co-locating. The best example of co-location is the national children's hospital on the grounds of St James's Hospital. It does not matter whether there is a corridor joining the two buildings. It is irrelevant.

The second question his answer begged was when he mentioned there could be a loss of goodwill. He really needs to address this, or at least the Government does. Is it a hint that we may lose the support of the St. Vincent's holding company because its ethos is still based on its original Catholic founder? Where does this leave the women and the future of maternity care in this country? From a purely financial point of view, and the expenditure of €800 million and probably more on a new hospital, would it not be in the financial interests of the State to own the land?

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