Sir, – Your correspondents, writing about the future of the new national maternity hospital (Letters, November 3rd), state incorrectly that the Religious Sisters of Charity have been involved in recent new proposals by St Vincent's Healthcare Group (SVHG) in relation to the governance and other matters in relation to the new national maternity hospital and the SVHG more generally.
We resigned from the SVHG’s board of directors four years ago.
This ended our 186-year involvement in the management of St Vincent’s Hospital, which began in 1834, when Mary Aikenhead, foundress of the congregation established the first hospital in Ireland that freely admitted patients, irrespective of their race, creed or ability to pay. We are not involved now and have not been involved in matters relating to the new national maternity hospital or the management of the SVHG since 2017.
Last year, we announced that we were relinquishing our shares in SVHG and will transfer them to the new independent charity, St Vincent’s Holdings. The share transfer will also result in the new independent charity being the ultimate owner of 29 acres at St Vincent’s Hospital, Elm Park and 3.2 acres at St Michael’s Hospital, Dún Laoghaire.
We will have no role in the future of the new independent charity, the SVHG or the new national maternity hospital.
– Yours, etc,
Sr PATRICIA LENIHAN
Superior General Religious
Sisters of Charity,
Dublin 4.