National maternity hospital governance
Deputy Higgins argued that women’s reproductive healthcare must be governed by law, not religious influence, in the new national maternity hospital. The Taoiseach agreed completely and said there would be no religious involvement in its management or services.
In 2018, Irish people voted overwhelmingly to repeal the eighth amendment. They voted to give women autonomy and choice over their decisions and their bodies. Deputies and Senators in democratically-elected Chambers legislated for that accordingly. Those laws made by our legislators, not Canon Law, should determine women's reproductive health services.
Religious involvement in the offering of services accessible in the national maternity hospital would be as inappropriate and as out of place as medical involvement over what is said at mass. How do we ensure that women can access the full complement of maternity and reproductive healthcare and have full autonomy over their bodies and their choices in our new national maternity hospital?
Comment on this
I agree 100% with what the Deputy has said. The governance arrangements for the new national maternity hospital will be absolutely clear. There will be absolutely no religious involvement in the management, ownership or operation of that hospital. All legally available services in the State will be available to the women who access services in the hospital.