Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said abortions, IVF and other procedures contrary to Catholic ethos will be carried out at the new National Maternity Hospital.
When asked if the hospital will carry out procedures as provided by law, rather than according to any religious constraints, he said: “Yes, absolutely.”
He told Newstalk that a deal to govern the construction and operation of the new maternity hospital is “there or thereabouts”.
Mr Varadkar said he still has some concerns around the leasing of the land where the State will construct the new hospital.
Peter Boylan, a former master of Holles Street, said the ownership of the land by a charity which will receive it as a gift from the Religious Sisters of Charity will present problems with the hospital carrying out procedures such as abortions, sterilisations and IVF.
Mr Varadkar and the Government say this will not be a problem.
However, he said there are issues around a lack of government-appointed representatives on the company that will run the hospital.
He said issues of the ownership will not curtail any procedures, instead citing the fact that the land had been mortgaged to build St Vincent’s Private Hospital.
“We have an agreement the hospital will be publicly owned, we have an agreement that any obstetric or gynaecological procedure that’s legal in the state, including terminations of pregnancy and IVF, will be legal in the new hospital, we’re comfortable around that,” he said.
He also said the State would purchase the land if possible.
“I think I’m now hearing that either Vincent’s or the Sisters will be willing to sell that land, and if they are, we’re willing to buy.”
