The Health Minister is calling for the new National Maternity Hospital to be built as a matter of urgency.

Funding is there to build the new hospital – however the project has been delayed because of a row over governance.

Minister Simon Harris has said he will meet with people from the National Maternity Hospital and St Vincent’s within the next week in an effort to resolve the dispute.

He says that the new national hospital needs to be built as soon as possible.

“They’ve been promised a new building since the 1990’s. There is now funding in the capital plan to go ahead and build this building.

“There are plans in place that are ready to be lodged, in terms of trying to obtain planning permission, it is absolutely essential that we get this going and I am aware that there is obviously an ongoing difference in opinion between different stakeholders here.

“I expect to bring all the relevant stakeholders in to meet me in the next week.”