THE Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill, has discussed the future of Ireland
's only Protestant teaching hospital, the Adelaide at Tallaght, Dublin, with
the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. Dr Neill, who is president of the hospital's
board, expressed concern that the facility might be downgraded.
"Our ethos is very dear to us . . . it is inclusive and patient-centred,
with no ethics committee imposing standards" - a reference to the way in which
other hospitals operate in Ireland, where they are run along broadly Roman
Catholic guidelines.
The Primate of All Ireland, Dr Robin Eames, also expressed concerns,
speaking in the Synod of the "inclusive medical ethos, long cherished by this
Church and other Protestant Churches".
However, in a letter to the Irish Times at the weekend, Dr Robert
MacCarthy, Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, accused Dr Neill of "playing the
Protestant card" to garner sympathy with the government. "The new hospital will
presumably be a state hospital, following state rather than Roman Catholic
medical practice," he wrote.