Cabinet is expected to approve the plan for the new National Maternity Hospital next Tuesday, after Catherine Martin gave her backing to it.

St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group will appear before the Oireachtas Health Committee on Monday to discuss the new National Maternity Hospital.

Green Party Minister Catherine Martin has become the latest minister to back the plan and the cabinet is now expected to approve it next Tuesday, as she was the remaining minister with concerns.

A decision was delayed ten days ago because of concerns over its clinical independence, and over services that would be available there.

Master of the National Maternity Hospital, Professor Shane Higgins, has insisted it will have no religious involvement:

“Even that statement ‘keep it away from the nuns’ – does anyone now believe that the nuns are going to have an influence on what takes place on the campus?

“I’m not going to ignore people’s genuine concerns, what we’re trying to communicate are the facts.  I think most people now agree that the nuns have divested their interest, they’ve transferred their share, there’s no longer any religious involvement in the campus, there will be no religious involvement in the running of the National Maternity Hospital.”

Criticism

However Catherine Martin has faced some criticism of her decision to back the proposal.

Former Green Party Councillor, and now leader of An Rabharta Glas, Councillor Lorna Bogue has hit out at the decision.

“I have to say, people go into government and say that they’re going to change things and they don’t.  Catherine Martin knows exactly what she’s doing here, which is she’s betrayed the people who’ve put her in her position.”