The former master of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) Peter Boylan has said that a Cabinet Minister told him Tallaght may be an alternative location to St Vincent's Hospital for the new maternity hospital.
The plan to relocate the NMH from Holles Street in the city centre to the St Vincent’s campus at Donnybrook has sparked controversy after the State's attempts to buy the land were rejected by the St Vincent's Healthcare Group.
Some opposition parties have been calling on the Government to make a compulsory purchase order.
However, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said a compulsory purchase order could result in the hospital never being built.
Speaking on RTÉ’s DriveTime programme, Mr Boylan said he had a conversation about the hospital with Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris last Saturday.
“I think the Government are considering a plan B, and let me tell you why I say this. Last Saturday I was out returning from the shops when I bumped into Simon Harris. We discussed the issue of the hospital. He suggested that possibly Tallaght might be an option. That makes me think the Government are considering a plan B.”
He added: “The ownership of the land is critical, and everything flows from that. There is no way that the Sisters of Charity will be able to hand over ownership of the land without the permission of the Vatican. The Vatican will not give permission to build a hospital in which abortions will take place.
“In the last few days, everything has changed. This has been going on for years.”
A spokeswoman for Simon Harris told The Irish Times: “Minister [Harris] briefly met Dr Boylan while canvassing in Dublin Bay South on Saturday. They had a private discussion and the development of the National Maternity Hospital was discussed. Minister Harris reiterated his view and the Government’s view that the State should own the land and discussed other land the State owned in the city. As it was a private conversation, Minister Harris has no further comment to make.”
