A demonstration was held outside the Dáil this afternoon.
Hundreds of people have attended a protest in Dublin over the ownership of the new National Maternity Hospital.
Fantastic turnout at the Dail this afternoon to support the Rally on keeping our National Maternity Hospital public and secular for all women in Ireland! ✊ @campaignAINHS @OurMatHosp @ailbhes @JoTullyPBP #OurNationalMaternityHospital #MakeNMHOurs #HealthcareForAll pic.twitter.com/BWW2r4iBrT
— Campaign For an All Ireland NHS (@campaignAINHS) June 26, 2021
The St Vincent's Hospital Group own the site the hospital is to be built on.
The government's indicated it's open to purchasing the land but the group has rejected that.
It's raised concerns about church influence on medical practices like abortion and IVF.
There was a fantastic turnout outside the Dail today. Clear message is that the National Maternity Hospital should be #PublicandSecular People won't put up with any ambiguity when we have invested 800m of taxpayer's money. pic.twitter.com/aqcEgF7Zfr
— SocDems Dublin Bay North (@SocDemsDBN) June 26, 2021
The protest was organised by The Campaign Against Church Ownership of Women's Healthcare.
Chairperson, Jo Tully, says people are outraged at the situation.
"The refusal to sell the site means the future of women's reproductive healthcare is in the hands of the church," she said.
Those protesting want the facility to be owned and run by the State.
