Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD has said the government must act to ensure state ownership of the land on which the new National Maternity Hospital is to be built.

Teachta McDonald called on the Taoiseach to engage with the St Vincent’s Health Group to ensure that this happens before any contract is signed.

She said:

“The government is proposing to build a vital piece of health infrastructure for almost one billion euro on land that the state does not own. The Taoiseach keeps saying that the lease will only cost €10 a year, but this does not change the fact the new hospital will have a private landlord. This is madness when the taxpayer is footing the bill.

“The question has to be asked why the Sisters of Charity doesn’t simply gift the land to the state? Why is the government accepting this convoluted, messy ownership model that is stoking uneasiness and worry?

“What we need is a publicly built maternity hospital, on publicly owned land, delivering public healthcare services for women to a standard of excellence.

“The government must work urgently to convince the St Vincent’s Health Group to gift the land to the state. This would protect the state’s investment and address the concerns of so many who fear that a religious dogma could compromise the delivery of healthcare at the hospital.”