Minister: Moving Site Of New National Maternity Hospital Would Add Years To The Building Process.

Wednesday, 14 July 2021 12:30

File image: Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly/RollingNews

Stephen Donnelly also says it would cost a "very large amount of money".

Moving the site of the new National Maternity Hospital would add years to the building process, according to the Health Minister.

Stephen Donnelly has also said fully nationalising the site at St Vincent's would cost the state a very large amount of money.

The Oireachtas Health Committee, on which sits Kildare North Fine Gael TD, Bernard Durkan, has been debating concerns about the ownership of the site and whether a religious ethos will impact the care given on site.

#OireachtasTV - Watch LIVE as the Joint Committee on Health meets for an update on the new National Maternity Hospital with Minister @DonnellyStephen #seeforyourself
https://t.co/OM4LMB9ODv
https://t.co/fqiROrB3ws
— Houses of the Oireachtas - Tithe an Oireachtais (@OireachtasNews) July 14, 2021

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says nationalising the entire site at St Vincent's probably isn't the right approach

And the Health Minister, in statements to the Oireachtas Health Committee, has admitted there still isn't full compliance with access to maternity units for the partners of pregnant women.

18 of the 19 units are allowing partners in for early assessments.

While just 12 of those units are compliant with high risk pregnancy visits and 15 of the 19 with emergency presentations.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says he is pushing for increased access for partners

More from National News

Taxi Driver Protest Suspended Pending Outcome Of Talks

The action has been suspended pending the outcome of a meeting at Government buildings next week.
BREAKING: Green Light For €1.3bn Drainage Scheme Serving Kildare After Court Agreement

The major project is seen as crucial to the provision of future housing infrastructure.
Irish Troops Come Under "Small-Arms Fire" In Lebanon

Defence Minister Helen McEntee is condemning the incident, and says it's an unacceptable breach of the UN Security Council Resolution.
€17,000 Paid Out For Pothole Damage In Kildare - But Some Claims Now Deemed ‘Act Of God’

IPB Insurance, which manages complaints on behalf of Kildare County Council, is the insurance company some people appear to be having issues with.
€2.2bn Children’s Hospital Misses Yet Another Deadline As Kill-Based BAM Brings In International Experts

Audio

Children’s Health Ireland were due to get access to the grounds on Wednesday, but the Health Minister says this has been pushed back again until the end of the month.
Maynooth Study: Poor Insulation And Draughty Homes Leaving Families Sick In Some Ageing Council Estates

The Just Housing project at Maynooth worked with the Community Action Tenants Union to survey long-established local-authority homes - focusing in this case on a 1950s estate in south Dublin as an example of wider problems in ageing council stock.
Nikita Hand Welcomes Supreme Court Decision Against McGregor Appeal In Civil Rape Trial

Just over a year ago the former MMA fighter was found liable for assaulting Ms. Hand, based on her claims that he raped her in the penthouse suite of a Dublin hotel in December 2018.
Council’s Strict One-Off Rural Housing Rules Leave Naas Farmer With No Way To Rebuild Home On Her Own Land

The Judge noted that the inspector recognised her need for a new home arising from her marital separation, but explained that the “exceptional circumstances” provision in the previous Development Plan no longer exists under the current one.