Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, Senator Clifford-Lee, and all the Senators who have spoken on this important motion. I welcome that we have clarity on the naming of the hospital and that it is a Government decision. I accept that the Government’s number one priority is on the commissioning and opening of the hospital. That is exactly what its priority should be and we fully support that.

I also acknowledge the contrary and questioning views. That is healthy. It is important that we question decisions and proposals. I will respectfully disagree with the proposition that the name would be in any way inappropriate. I believe that naming the hospital is not just about our paying tribute to Kathleen Lynn, about whom everybody has spoken so eloquently not just as a medical doctor but as a politician and somebody who made an enormous contribution to society, as a feminist and suffragette. It is also about acknowledging all the unnamed women, the women of previous generations who have been written out of our history and are not household names. Most important, it is about setting an ambition for the future of the delivery of healthcare.

The Minister of State eloquently and comprehensively outlined what a state-of-the-art, world-class health facility the new children’s hospital is going to be. That is as it should be. However, what is really important is not just the technology, the built environment or the expertise but the heart of that hospital. It is the values of all those who will be cared for and all those who will do the caring in that hospital. The values that Kathleen Lynn epitomised were equality, competence, professionalism and compassion. More than anything, patients need compassion and understanding. Dr. Lynn was a women who had them in abundance.

We may achieve some small progress in increasing her name recognition if we name the hospital after her. However, what will be achieved in generations to come by all those who serve and care for children and their families in that hospital, in promoting the values that she lived by, will be an enormous gift for us to give. I appreciate there are dissenting voices. I also appreciate that a previous motion was passed unanimously in the House, albeit without debate. That is part of the reason we brought forward the motion again. It is important that there is a strong mandate for this. We can debate the process by which the naming of buildings or any other structures takes place. However, this is vital social infrastructure. It is going to be a public hospital, as the Minister of State said, and a State intervention into the future. We want to set a mark and a value for that State intervention and the State provision of healthcare services, that those services will be provided based on patient need, compassion and social justice. If those who dissent wish to call a vote, let us have a vote and put it on the record of the House. Otherwise, I want it to go forward from this House that there is unanimity here. That will be a strong message to the Government. The branding exercise taking place is obviously necessary and I support its completion. However, I caution against our defaulting to a position of comfort, security and sameness. Irish people are unique. We have a unique culture and unique personalities. Let us not dumb it down. Let us not pretend by having some corporate, uniform, same medical facility.Let us be clear and proud that our finest, and it will be the finest, healthcare facility for children and families is one that is not only technically and operationally of the highest standard, but is also of the most human and highest values of compassion and social justice. I ask the Minister of State to take that message back to Government and urge them to name the National Children's Hospital after Dr. Kathleen Lynn.