Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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488. To ask the Minister for Health if the proposed national maternity hospital will be in public ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26701/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to the development of the new National Maternity Hospital (NMH) planned for the St Vincent’s University Hospital Campus at Elm Park, as set out in the Programme for Government. Significant progress has been made on the capital project, with planning permission for the hospital secured in 2017 and, in 2018, the awarding of contract for substantial enabling works.

The ownership and governance arrangements are more complex. The proposed corporate and clinical governance arrangements for the new NMH at Elm Park were set out in the Mulvey Agreement, which was finalised in 2016 following an extensive mediation process between the NMH and the St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group, published thereafter and noted by Government in 2017. The Mulvey Agreement provides 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.

The draft legal framework subsequently developed is designed to copperfasten these arrangements. It provides that the new hospital remains in State ownership and that thus, the State’s significant investment will be protected. The clear legal advice provided to the State is that the draft legal framework ensures that all legally permissible medical services will be provided in the new hospital.

I have been very clear that I will not bring anything to Government unless it provides assurances around all legally permissible services being provided in the new NMH. In addition, the safeguarding of the State’s investment must also be put beyond doubt.

In that context, as I have recently stated, I intend to engage further with both St Vincent’s Healthcare Group and the Religious Sisters of Charity, as we move toward the finalisation of the arrangements.