NWCI welcomes National Maternity Hospital agreement

Published: Friday, September 01, 2017

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) today welcomed the announcement by Minister for Health Simon Harris that the National Maternity Hospital will remain in State ownership, and that there will be no religious involvement in delivery of services.

Orla O’Connor, Director of NWCI said,
“Women must be able to trust in the independence of their maternity hospital, and must know that they will be treated in a compassionate and non-judgmental way, so the agreement announced by Minister Harris in relation to the new National Maternity Hospital is very welcome. NWCI campaigned for there to be no religious involvement in delivery of services, and for State ownership of the new National Maternity Hospital, both issues which have been assured.”

Orla O’Connor concluded,
“The events surrounding the proposed relocation of the National Maternity Hospital is illustrative of the fact that we still face serious challenges both in terms of how we plan for crucial infrastructural projects of this kind, and the long running and contentious relationship between Church and State. Women living in Ireland deserve access to the best possible healthcare, and in particular to the best reproductive healthcare and this absolutely must be unfettered by creed or ideology.”

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For more information, please contact Silke Paasche, Head of Communications, 085 8589104.