Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I raise with the Taoiseach the issue of ongoing concerns about the independence, ownership and governance of the new national maternity hospital in light of recent reports by Jennifer Bray and by Justine McCarthy that the HSE board has approved the legal framework and constitution of the new hospital, yet two members of the board have dissented from that decision due to unresolved concerns. I note Dr. Peter Boylan, who wrote today in The Irish Times,has suggested that the term “clinically appropriate” will be used in the national maternity hospital designated activity company document to qualify the obligation to provide all medical treatment to women, including abortion services. Will the Taoiseach give a commitment to bring the final documentation before the Oireachtas and before the Oireachtas Committee on Health before it can be signed off? We need to ensure there is a commitment that all the necessary treatments that women require for our reproductive healthcare will be met in the new national maternity hospital and that there will be no qualifying words which might restrict the availability of necessary medical treatments in the hospital.

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