The Tánaiste has said that if a Fine Gael TD were to vote against the Government on tonight's Sinn Féin motion on the National Maternity Hospital then they would lose the party whip, and that it is up to the Green Party to make a decision in relation to how TD Neasa Hourigan votes.
The Green Party TD for Dublin Central confirmed yesterday that she will break ranks with the Government and vote in favour of a Sinn Féin motion on the National Maternity Hospital tonight.
The Sinn Féin motion seeks to oblige the Government to re-engage with the St Vincent's Healthcare Group in order to secure the site at Elm Park for State ownership.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne programme, Leo Varadkar said that if all TDs voted freely, then there would not be a functioning Government.
"Ultimately how she votes is a decision for her and obviously if that occurs - and there are a lot of hypotheticals there - then ultimately the Green Party will have to make a decision as to what action they take," he said, adding if a Fine Gael TD made the same move, they would lose the party whip.
"Governments have majorities, and in order to get things through we act collectively … if we all voted freely on these matters then we wouldn’t have a functioning Government," he said, adding that "on occasion" people will feel they cannot vote alongside the party.
The Tánaiste said there were "a lot of myths and misinformation" around the project that were able to be dispelled during the two-week delay in confirming the hospital would proceed, namely a clear definition to the term "clinically appropriate".
Mr Varadkar said he understood people’s concerns around ownership of the land and defended the 299-year lease as ownership.
"The perfect can be the enemy of the very, very good. This is a very, very good arrangement. We do own the hospital, we own the bricks and mortar and we have a 300-year leasehold title to the land, and that is ownership," he said.
The Tánaiste said he also understood people’s concerns given the country’s history with institutional abuse and the church’s influence over healthcare.
Mr Varadkar said what was happening was two hospitals – Holles Street and St Vincent's - that are currently under Catholic influence are being secularised.
"You would have the impression from some people, that the hospital as being gifted to the nuns. That is just fake news," he said.
Separately, the Tánaiste said he has not had any contact from the Director of Public Proseuctions in relation to the GP contract investigation.
He said he was confident a decision will be made in his favour.
