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

Yesterday, I again raised with the Taoiseach the importance of the Government securing public ownership of the site on which the new national maternity hospital will be built. I also expressed my astonishment that neither the Taoiseach nor the Minister for Health had made any substantial effort to convince St. Vincent's Healthcare Group to transfer that land to the State. Furthermore, I proposed that the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, should meet urgently with the board of that group to negotiate such a transfer. This clean, clear transaction would be the best outcome as it would ensure that we would have a public maternity hospital built on public land. That is what the Sinn Féin motion, which is to be voted on by the Dáil tonight, calls for. The Taoiseach stated that the Government will not oppose the motion, so can I take it that the Government's position is to secure State ownership of the land and that it will now engage in that high-level negotiation with St. Vincent's Healthcare Group to achieve this? That will be the position of the Dáil after tonight's vote and the Government should act on its instruction.

The public want clarity, but the truth is that the Government has sown confusion, distrust and unease about its plan. We have had two weeks of a consultation that was not really a consultation at all. The Taoiseach said that he was open to changes and suggestions, but he ignored and pushed back all suggestions and went ahead with the original deal. He and the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, said they engaged with St. Vincent's Healthcare Group to secure State ownership of the land, but St. Vincent's Healthcare Group said they did not and the Taoiseach responded by saying that he did. The Sinn Féin motion articulates a clear call for public ownership of the site and it is now clear that the Government will, in effect, support that motion. Let us get the clarity that people want. State ownership of the site is the best way to safeguard an investment of almost €1 billion of taxpayers' money. It is also the best way to end conclusively any fear of residual religious dogma compromising the delivery of health services for women. I do not have to rehearse again the harrowing history that gives rise to such anxieties.

Everybody in the Dáil and beyond wants the new hospital built. We want and need a new era in maternity care for women in Ireland, and we should accept and acknowledge each other's bona fides in that regard. However, we must get this right. We have to get the best deal and the best arrangement to achieve that ambition. Ba cheart don Rialtas an rud ceart a dhéanamh anois. Ba cheart dóibh dul i dteagmháil le Grúpa Sláinte Naomh Uinseann chun an suíomh seo a fháil faoi úinéireacht an Stáit. The Sinn Féin motion this evening presents an opportunity for everyone to vote for the best approach. Given that the Taoiseach is not opposing the motion, will he commit to leading the Government in an engagement with St Vincent's Healthcare Group to secure this site in State ownership?

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