STATEMENT OF ARCHBISHOP DIARMUID MARTIN 11th January 2007.
With regard to the announcement by the Board of Directors of Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin communicating that the Board had “unanimously decided” not to engage with the work of the Transition Group and the Development Board of the new Children’s Hospital, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, Chairman of the Board, wishes to make clear that he was not made aware of the fact that such a decision was imminent, was not present at the meeting and did not have an opportunity to listen to the arguments and make his views known.
Archbishop Martin is aware of the high level of frustration felt by many elements of the staff of Our Lady’s Hospital and has already publicly expressed his fear that if the “commitment and generosity [of the staff of Our Lady’s Hospital] is in any way soured or frustrated by not fully and coherently availing of the current opportunity then we will have lost something quite precious for society”.
The Archbishop hopes that it will be possible to continue in a process of transparent dialogue which reaches out to and engages more sensitively with the interests of all involved.
Note: The Archbishop does not intend to make any further comment on the matter for the time being.