Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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97. To ask the Minister for Health when the position taken by Dáil Éireann following the passing of a Private Members Bill on 3 May 2017, which called for the national maternity hospital to remain within public ownership and have legally guaranteed independence from all non-medical influence, will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50776/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I have been quite clear that care in the new maternity hospital on the St. Vincent's University Hospital campus will be delivered without religious, ethnic or other distinction and as such any medical procedure which is in accordance with the laws of the land will be carried out there.

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. This legal framework will also underpin the operational and clinical independence of the new hospital. The proposals will require consideration by Government, the National Maternity Hospital and the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group before they are finalised.