Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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413. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the governance discussions based on the Mulvey report of the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street when it transfers to the St. Vincent's hospital site; the areas that will be covered outside the Mulvey report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43505/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The governance arrangements for the new National Maternity Hospital on the St Vincent's University Hospital campus will be based on the provisions of the Mulvey Agreement. The Mulvey Agreement, which was an agreement between the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) and the St Vincent's Healthcare Group (SVHG), was finalised in November 2016 following extensive mediation discussions.

The terms of the Mulvey Agreement provide for the establishment of a new company - National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park DAC- which will have clinical and operational, as well as financial and budgetary independence in the provision of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services.

In line with the Mulvey Agreement, the Board of the National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park DAC will comprise 9 directors; 4 nominated by SVHG, 4 by NMH, and 1 will be an international expert in obstetrics and gynaecology. Given the level of State investment, I have sought, and received, the agreement of both the NMH and SVHG that the Board of the new NMH DAC will be competency-based and will include a Public Interest representative.

The SVHG has confirmed the process by which the Religious Sisters of Charity will withdraw from the Group and transfer their shareholding to a new company St Vincent’s Holdings CLG. The Sisters have of course, already resigned from the Group’s Board.  I am advised that Revenue has approved the proposed revisions to the constitution of SVHG and the Group continues to engage with the Charities Regulator in relation to the constitution of St Vincent’s Holdings CLG. 

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is engaging with the SVHG, the NMH and the HSE in relation to the legal framework which will be put in place to protect the State's significant investment in the new hospital. The overall framework being put in place will unequivocally copper-fasten the principle that patient care in the new hospital will be delivered without religious, ethnic or other distinction and that any medical procedure which is in accordance with the laws of the land will be carried out there. 

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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414. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to protect the significant investment of the State in the new maternity hospital on the St. Vincent's hospital site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43506/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, following the finalisation of the Mulvey Agreement in November 2016, concerns were raised regarding the need to protect the State's significant investment in the new hospital, in circumstances where the new hospital will be built on a voluntary hospital campus.  In that context, considerable work has been undertaken to develop a legal framework that ensures that the new hospital will remain in State ownership.

My Department continues to engage with the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group, the National Maternity Hospital and the HSE to develop a legal framework to protect the State’s significant investment in the new hospital. The St Vincent’s Healthcare Group has agreed in principle to provide the State with a 99-year lease of the land upon which the new maternity hospital will be built, and this will allow the State to retain ownership of the new facility. The State will, in turn, provide an Operating Licence to the NMH DAC and the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group to enable the provision of health services in the newly constructed building. 

The overall framework being put in place will unequivocally copper-fasten the principle that patient care in the new hospital will be delivered without religious, ethnic or other distinction and that any medical procedure which is in accordance with the laws of the land will be carried out there.