Stephen Donnelly asked to repeal deal with Sisters of Charity on National Hospital
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, as well as other speakers attending the Fianna Fáil Women’s Health Conference, have received hundreds of messages from Uplift members regarding a deal with the Sisters of Charity.
These messages detailed what the Sisters of Charity’s involvement in the new National Maternity Hospital would mean for the future of women’s healthcare.
Along with many Our Maternity Hospital demonstrators, Uplift met outside the Fianna Fáil Women’s Health Conference today, where the Health Minister spoke.
The campaigners were here because they believe that there should be no religious influence in the hospital, and instead, it should be 100% state-owned.
This is due to the HSE’s approval of the legal framework to do with the Sisters of Charity and St. Vincent’s Hospital Holdings.
Protesting outside the FF Women's Health Conference calling for a publicly-owned and secular #NationalMaternityHospital.
We've been invited in to hear what the Minister for Health as to say about future of women's healthcare. pic.twitter.com/kBYSCTI6WJ
— Layla Wade (@laylawade__) April 28, 2022
Many campaigners also feel that if this deal were to go ahead, the future of women’s healthcare would take a step backwards on the progress that has been made since the Repeal the 8th movement.
A former Master of the National Maternity Hospital, Dr. Peter Boylan, has said that the language determined in this legal framework makes abortion access even harder for women in Ireland, in contravention to the 2018 Termination of Pregnancy Act along with elective sterilisation, IVF and other services not deemed appropriate by the Sisters of Charity.
Campaigners are questioning why €1B is to be paid to a private company approved by the Sisters of Charity, St. Vincent’s Holding, for this essential State infrastructure.
Uplift campaigner, Layla Wade, has said, “We want a future where, no matter who you are or where you come from, we have healthcare that is safe, trustworthy, accessible to everyone, publicly owned and free of religious ethos”
Layla continued, “The level of State investment into this piece of vital infrastructure, to be then poured into the pockets of a Vatican- approved company is utterly unacceptable”.
