THE GROUP which is due to become the sole owner of the new National Maternity Hospital says it will offer any procedure which is in keeping with the law of the land.

The St Vincent's Healthcare Group insists that the legal instruments behind the new hospital will ensure full clinical independence, and that its board of directors will have full autonomy.

It's also declared that any medical procedure, which is in accordance with the law of the land, will be carried out at the new hospital, in line with its current policy.

The hospital has previously denied claims that it refused to offer procedures such as sterilisation, which are not in keeping with the Catholic ethos of its owners the Religious Sisters of Charity.

Earlier the junior minister John Halligan called on the Sisters of Charity to hand over the site to the State free of charge, to allow a hispital without any religious involvement.

He says at the very least the State should look at buying the state - but either option would require the process of setting up the hospital to go back to the drawing board again.

Meanwhile the children's minister Katherine Zappone said she wanted to see the legal fine print of the deal in order to be assured the facility will have clinical independence: