Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

93. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which Article 44 of the Constitution will not impact on the new national maternity hospital in St. Vincent’s University Hospital in delivering abortion healthcare services (details supplied). [50591/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am committed to the development of the new maternity hospital on the St Vincent's campus. This is a vital project for women and babies in Ireland, representing the flagship project of the National Maternity Strategy and the largest single investment ever made in maternity services in Ireland.

Considerable work has been undertaken to develop a legal framework to protect the State's significant investment in the new hospital and to ensure that the new hospital building will remain in State ownership. The proposals will require consideration by Government, the National Maternity Hospital and the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group before they are finalised. This legal framework will underpin the operational and clinical independence of the new hospital, ensuring care in the new maternity hospital will be delivered without religious, ethnic or other distinction and any medical procedure which is in accordance with the laws of the land will be carried out there.