Updated, 11:56
The Religious Sisters of Charity have announced they will give up ownership of the St Vincent's Hospital Group - including any stake in the new National Maternity Hospital.
The nuns have confirmed they will give up their stake in the group and transfer it to a new charity, simply known as St Vincent's.
The charity will be run in the short term by a new board of directors drawn from the St Vincent's Hospital Group, but a new independent board is to be appointed within 12 months.
The sisters have said the new charity's board "will not be subject to undue influence by individuals or from any source".
The ownership of the hospital group will transfer to the new charity for a "peppercorn" amount, likely to be €1. However, the hospital group will pay commercial rates for a portion of the land which currently houses the St Vincent's public hospital, and which is owned by the nuns directly.
The move would appear to suggest that there will be no question of religious involvement in the running of the new National Maternity Hospital to be built at the St Vincent's site.
However, it would still mean that the State would not directly own the new hospital, which would remain in the control of the new charity.
READ:
Statement from Sisters of Charity who have announced they are relinquishing ownership of St Vincent's Hospital pic.twitter.com/gEVOdD20g3
— Today FM News (@TodayFMNews) May 29, 2017
READ: Full statement from the St Vincent's Hospital Group about the Religious Sisters of Charity giving up their ownership of the group pic.twitter.com/erBOtdsHIs
— Today FM News (@TodayFMNews) May 29, 2017
READ:
Statement from the National Maternity Hospital. pic.twitter.com/FRA130s258
— Today FM News (@TodayFMNews) May 29, 2017
Simon Harris, the minister for health, has welcomed the announcement:
READ: @SimonHarrisTD says timing of Sisters of Charity announcement is "very welcome" and addresses concerns about NMH religious influence pic.twitter.com/LbFHyZkEqr
— Today FM News (@TodayFMNews) May 29, 2017
