Imminent Govt decision cannot fudge issues around state control and ownership
Speaking ahead of a Dáil debate on the National Maternity Hospital, People Before Profit TD, Bríd Smith, has said the Government’s position that the facility will be handed over to an entity controlled by a religious order would represent a historic betrayal of women in this state. The TD rejected as “patronising and misleading” claims by the Minister and others that objections to the hand over were based on false and misleading information.
The Government continue to insist that all medical procedures including terminations of pregnancy will be available at the new hospital.
The TD said: “There has been a loud and persistent campaign by this Government and some commentators to label opposition to this deal as somehow hysterical and ill informed. I reject that. Women know too well the reality of what is happening. However, the Minister dresses up this proposed deal it means a state built and funded maternity hospital will be vested in the hands of a body set up and ultimately controlled by a religious order. This is far from the stated aims of Sláintecare and far from the stated goals of a state owned and run facility for woman. Coming after Repeal, coming after the Mother and Baby Homes report, this represents a historic betrayal and women will not accept any reassurances”.
The TD pointed to the fact that even at HSE Board level one member opposed approval of the Draft Final Business Case and NMH Legal framework on the basis of concerns regarding legal ownership of the site and building, governance and control of the proposed new maternity hospital.
The Deputy added: “Women in this country have no faith in the Ministers reassurances and will not accept the dismissal of our concerns around handing control of a maternity hospital to a religious run order. We simply will not accept the Sisters of Charity, or a body created by it, running services for our reproductive health. It’s bizarre that any minister would think, given our recent past, that women should trust any assurances from the Church or the state on their health care. The NHM is paid for by the public and it must be public.”