The new National Maternity site will not be sold to the State, the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group has said.

The group said it “must” retain ownership of the land to allow for the delivery of integrated patient care on the Elm Park campus in south Dublin.

The Government has said it would re-engage with the St Vincent’s Group and the Religious Sisters of Charity about buying the land for the new hospital.

In a statement on Tuesday, the St Vincent’s Health Group (SVHG) said it was “aware of renewed public controversy” about the site and the planned Dail debate on Wednesday.

“This hospital is long overdue and we are more than willing to meet with the government, should it wish to engage with us,” the statement read.

But it said “for the delivery of integrated patient care on the Elm Park Campus, SVHG must retain ownership of the site”.

SVHG reiterated that the new National Maternity Hospital would be “clinically independent” and “there will be no religious or Vatican influence”.

“All medical procedures, in accordance with the laws of the land, are available in SVHG hospitals, including pregnancy termination, tubal ligation and gender reassignment procedures,” the statement read.

It added that the State’s interests are “protected through the Minister of Health’s ‘Golden Share’, detailed legal agreements and HSE service level agreements”.

Plans to relocate the national maternity hospital at Holles Street to the St Vincent’s University Hospital campus in Dublin 4 have been beset by delays.

Last week Tanaiste Leo Varadkar flagged concerns over the governance and ownership of the hospital, with the St Vincent’s site owned by religious order the Sisters of Charity.

On Sunday, Mr Varadkar said there is a risk that the long awaited hospital may not go ahead as planned at the Elm Park site, amid concerns over its governance and ownership.

He said a new location may need to be found for the hospital if the Government’s red lines are not met.