Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Undoubtedly, all the documentation, the publication of which I welcome, will be studied, scrutinised and considered very carefully. However, I raised with the Taoiseach the ownership of the land and he has responded by reminding us we are looking at a 300-year lease at a cost of €10 per year.

That begs the question as to why lease on those terms and why did the Sisters of Charity just not make a clean transaction of it and gift the land to the State. That would copper-fasten and clarify the absolute public ownership of the facility. It would give the reassurances that are necessary, not for a small minority but for wider public opinion in terms of the governance, the independence etc. of the hospital.

By the way, I accept the Taoiseach's bona fides in wishing to see this project advance. As somebody who availed of maternity services in my time in this State, I can tell the Taoiseach we all have a vested interest in seeing that advance. I am not challenging that for a moment. I am raising this issue of ownership because it is a matter of genuine concern.

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