The Department of Health has denied claims from Dr Peter Boylan that it was warned last year about a possible religious influence on the new National Maternity Hospital.

Dr Boylan says the Department was given the warning "some time ago" by the head of the Dublin-based hospital group.

But the Department of Health says there's no record of any such letter being received.

Dr Boylan also claims that while the ownership deal has been approved by the Holles Street board, it hasn't yet been approved by the shareholders:

Dr Boylan, the former Master of the hospital in its current location on Holles Street, is refusing to step down from its board - despite calls to do so from his colleagues.

Dr Peter Boylan says his fears about religious influence at the new hospital have been vindicated, after being asked to step down out of loyalty to the board.

Calls for his resignation were made by former High Court judge Nicholas Kearns, who is the board's day-to-day chairman, and its current master Dr Rhona Mahony (who is his own sister-in-law).

However Dr Boylan has the support of a junior minister - who has also called on the Sisters of Charity to gift the site of the proposed new hospital to the State.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly reports: