Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have an opportunity to speak about this hugely important legislation. Like everybody else here, I am strongly of the opinion that we need to ensure the independence of the new national maternity hospital. We have spoken about this many times with those on the health committee. We spoke about it many times before and I am sure that we will speak about it again.

Our intention is quite clear. It is to deliver, as was promised many times, although albeit belatedly, a modern facility to support the women who need that particular support and service. It should be unlimited and unabridged, both now and in the future. I think it is coming very late. It is coming after all the debate and all the talk about the need to look after women's health and to provide for women's health, etc. Hopefully it is coming now. I am a bit worried about the crossfire in relation to it, on the basis that it might delay the provision of the hospital that is necessary.

On one hand, I absolutely and emphatically support the independence of the maternity hospital, and it must be independent. I have no reason to disbelieve that what the Minister is suggesting is anything other than that. I accept the concerns expressed by people but all the information I have to go on, and I am also still member of the Joint Committee on Health, is that the Minister proposes to deliver. There are conditions relating to that. In the political reality, it is a serious issue if a Minister does not deliver. The Minister knows that and we all know that. I, therefore, believe that he has no intention of misleading the House, or in any way misleading the women of Ireland, at this particular time on this very important subject.

We have talked about the long-standing need for this for long enough. We have identified that we must have a modern hospital. It must be the best that can be provided at the time and must serve the women and families of Ireland, now and in the future, without restriction, influence or interference of any description whatsoever from any source. An independent national maternity hospital is what the women of Ireland want and deserve and that is what we are bound to deliver to them. That is what the Government is bound to deliver to them.

At this stage, I see no evidence whatsoever other than a concern, which there would naturally be in any event; whether it is well-founded will remain to be seen. I believe it is not well-founded. I believe it is general caution. It is up to the Government and the Minister, whoever the Minister and Government may be at the time, to deliver. I expect that will happen. It is the least we might offer to the women of Ireland at this particular stage. Let us face it; we are good at talking and great at speculating in this country. We are great at promising long years in advance and then we talk about the details afterwards.

Let us not be in any doubt about it at all - we should not allow the talk on the details to deter us from our continuation of the need to provide a vital service for the women of Ireland. If we do that and drag the debate back into speculation and more doubt then we are going in the wrong direction. We need to trust each other to make sure we deliver and that we are kept to that delivery by the Opposition, as necessary. My good friend, Deputy Connolly, is looking at me. I have to say this. We have to trust somebody sometime. I can tell the Deputy that I am as well-versed as anybody in the House on this subject. I have been here longer than most of the people in the House. I want to say this: I have no reason to believe it is the intention of the Government or the Minister to mislead the public or the women in the House and of the country. There is no reason to believe that at all. The Minister knows that and I think the Opposition knows that as well.

For those who want to second guess all of us and presume that we mere males should not have an opinion on this issue, I want to say this: I would apply the same principles with regard to all care for all people of all ages in all conditions. The basis on which we have a right to speak is one of equality. We have a right and a concern despite the fact that some people have suggested in recent times that perhaps the male population is opposed to the women of Ireland. That is not true and I want to state that emphatically. That is the wrong way to go about it. It is the wrong debate to have in this country at this particular time. It is divisive, misleading and destructive.

I am sorry for digressing, a Cheann Comhairle, but the fact of the matter is that the women of Ireland need the service. They need an up-to-date, modern, reliable service that is not subject to interference from anybody or from any quarter. They must have ready access to it and be given an assurance that nobody will impede their right to avail of whatever service is available in that hospital, and that independent service will be governed by the legislation from this House.

I will make a final comment. I note the point that was made about the wholly owned subsidiary of a parent company. That is company law, about which we all know a small bit and have had to learn about in our own particular way. There are exceptions where the wholly owned subsidiary can deviate very dramatically but we want to make sure that it does not impede the delivery of the independent service that is required. I agree with Deputy Connolly entirely but there is a need to allow the process to continue in order that the service may be provided, and that we do not have to wait another ten or 15 years and that we do not, above all things, get into a debate about an alternative site, which we have had with regard to almost every hospital I can think of. The one place we should not go in the House is into deciding which would be the most important site. We are behind ten years; we will be back 20 years if that starts.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me the opportunity to speak on this subject. I admit I am a mere male and only represent half the population. My intentions are as sincere and genuine as anybody on the other side of the House regardless of gender. Those of us who have spent a bit of time in the House are not always wrong. I listened carefully to and accept Deputy Connolly's views and I will do so again.

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