The Religious Sisters of Charity have called on the Minister for Health to speed up the transfer of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group to facilitate it “as soon as possible”.
The congregation also insisted that it will have no role in the new national maternity hospital being constructed on the site. It comes after several politicians queried the role of faith in the new hospital, despite the fact the sisters ‘gifted’ the land to the State last year.
The deal was ultimately approved by the Vatican, however it was criticised by moral theologians at the time who pointed to the fact that the transfer would facilitate the construction of a hospital where children’s lives would be ended by abortion.
Earlier this week, Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns said that maternal healthcare must be “free of private interests or religious control”.
“It is intolerable that a particular ethos could determine what type of healthcare people receive,” she claimed, despite the sisters stepping back.
In a statement today (Thursday) issued by a Dublin-based PR firm the congregation reiterated the position that they will no longer have involvement with St Vincent’s Healthcare Group.
“There is much public discussion in relation to the Religious Sisters of Charity and whether we are still, or will be involved in the management of St Vincent’s Hospital, the new maternity hospital or the new independent charity set up to take over the ownership of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group from the Religious Sisters of Charity.
“The answer is no,” the statement continues. “The Religious Sisters of Charity have no involvement now and will not have any future role in the management of St Vincent’s Hospital.
“We will have no role, whatsoever, in St Vincent’s Healthcare Group, the new independent charity or the new maternity hospital,” it said.
The congregation withdrew its sisters from the board of St Vincent’s Healthcare in 2017. In 2020, they ‘gifted’ 29 acres of land at the site of St Vincent’s Hospital to the State, and 3.2 acres of land at St Michael’s Hospital in Dun Laoghaire.
“We have done everything in our power to expedite the transfer to the new independent charity, St Vincent’s Holdings, and we call on the other parties involved, including the Minister for Health, to take all actions necessary to facilitate the completion of the transfer as soon as possible,” the statement said.
The ownership of the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group, which owns the lands, will be transferred to the new independent charity, St Vincent’s Holdings.
The Religious Sisters of Charity said they own one building on the St Vincent’s Hospital site, which is and will continue to be leased to the Healthcare Group to provide income for their continuing work and for the “care of our elderly Sisters”.
