Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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261. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to resolve the governance conflict between St. Vincent’s University Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital; if any agreement on governance will first and foremost protect the needs and interests of women and supersede the institutional interests of both hospitals including the mastership system of the National Maternity Hospital. [12014/16]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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262. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which he will embed the governance of the national women and infants health programme with responsibility for the new national maternity strategy in the final governance arrangements reached between St. Vincent's University Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital, given that the new national maternity strategy states that women, their needs and their choices are to be placed at the centre of all maternity services. [12015/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 262 together.

I am very aware of the difficulties in relation to this project and the efforts that have been undertaken to mediate a resolution. Meetings were held last year with both hospitals at departmental and ministerial level and, at the request of Minister Varadkar, a facilitated dialogue was undertaken earlier this year.

Since I took office earlier this month, I have met with representatives of both hospitals to impress upon them the need to find a resolution to enable the project to proceed without further delay. I am meeting both hospitals on 26 May 2016 and I am considering what further efforts can be made to resolve the current impasse but, it is important to note, I am not in a position impose a solution as both hospitals are voluntary independent organisations. Any solution must, of course, be in line with Government maternity policy, as outlined in the national maternity strategy.