11 May 2022
Access to the full range of medical treatment for pregnant people is a matter of human rights which must be guaranteed in new National Maternity Hospital. The new NMH must be able to withstand future legal or political challenges. This requires full clinical independence of the hospital from any non-secular body.
The onus is on the Government to legally guarantee all services will be provided. Political assurances are not enough.
ICCL agrees with the proposal to either remove the ‘clinically appropriate’ clause in the lease or provide a non-exhaustive list of what services will be provided, specifying reproductive health services including abortion services.
ICCL is concerned about St Vincent’s Hospital Group’s power to nominate a third of the new NMH Board. We agree with the concerns expressed by members of the HSE Board that Boards can influence culture, values and ethics. Religious bodies should have no influence.
The Government must fully satisfy the public that nothing in the arrangements will cause patients to be denied access to access to any form of healthcare, now or in the future.
These discussions raise wider issues about the relationship between private bodies and essential public services which are funded by the State. Until these wider questions are addressed, difficulties such as the present controversy will be repeated. Government should provide a medium-term strategy for full divestment of private and religious control over public education and health services.
ENDS/
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is Ireland’s oldest independent human rights campaigning organisation. We monitor, educate and campaign to secure human rights for everyone in Ireland.
For media queries: sinead.nolan@iccl.ie