The Taoiseach says he feels 'genuinely satisfied' that safeguards are in place to allow the new National Maternity Hospital to proceed.
This evening the Cabinet is expected to sign off on proposals to construct the new facility at St Vincent's campus in Dublin.
The hospital will cost between 800 and a billion euro.
It will be built on land leased from a company that was originally given the property by the Religious Sisters of Charity.
Earlier today it was revealed that the former master of the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin had written to Taoiseach Micheál Martin about his ongoing concerns about plans to relocate the hospital to this location.
Pro-choice activists and members of the opposition have also cited concerns over governance at the hospital because the land is not owned by the State.
However, Taoiseach Micheal Martin says he's been assured the new hospital will operate with no religious influence:
"The protections are there for the new maternity hospital. They're strong protections, the State has a 300-year lease on it. The State through the HSE will have an operating licence to govern its activities. Of course, people can be assured that the services they wish to avail of, once legally permissible in this State will be available".
