Maternity Hospital Critic Quits Holles St. Board
Dr. Peter Boylan has resigned from the board of the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street in a row over ownership of the proposed new facility at St. Vincent's.
He made the announcement on the Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk saying it was delusional of his colleagues to think the proposed new hospital won't eventually run into conflict with Catholic ethos of Vincent's.
Peter Boylan is former Master of the National Maternity Hospital and, as of today, a former board member.
Because the hospital would be co-located, a woman could be diagnosed in the new NMH as needing a certain procedure, which would then have to be performed in the general hospital:
"There is no hospital in the world owned by a Catholic religious organisation that allows sterilisation, IVF, abortion and so on. So to believe that this would be unique for the first time ever is, I think, naive and delusional."
Following a long running row over who should run the new women's hospital, it was agreed that the Sisters of Charity would own the building outright, but doctors would be independent in the running of it.
Rhona Mahony, Current master and board member of the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street
However Dr Boylan still believes the Sisters of Charity will ultimately control the facility:
"It's been said the nuns are not going to run the hospital. That's absolutely correct; I never said they were. But they own the hospital, they own the company that runs it and they have undue representation on the board."
An emergency meeting of the board of Holles Street was held last night where the majority of members re-endorsed the plan to move to Vincent's.
Three people voted against the deal: Dr Boylan, Lord Mayor Brendan Carr and Sinn Fein Councillor Michéal MacDonncha.
The board of the Sisters of Charity-controlled St Vincent's Healthcare Group meets today.
Reps had previously said they may review the deal in light of the recent controversy.
However it's believed the board members will reaffirm their commitment to the project when they gather later.