The fundraising arm of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) reported a sharp decline in income in the year prior to the controversy over its relocation to St Vincent's campus with donations more than halving.
Recently filed accounts for the NMH Foundation, whose main role is to raise funds to support the work of the Holles Street-located hospital, show total income fell from €1.75 million to €380,907 in 2015.
The drop in income was largely due to a steep decline in donations and legacies, which fell from €860,431 to just €44,766 in 2015. The foundation also recorded €237,986 in income from charitable activities that year, and a further €98,156 from investments.
The income decline came as expenditure shot up to €405,738 from €259,234. This was largely attributed to increased expenditure on charitable activities, which rose to €174,899 from €25,225.
The not-for-profit, whose directors include NMH master Dr Rhona Mahony and former master Dr Peter Boylan, recorded a €24,831 deficit for the year under review.
Last year, the NMH Foundation raised €1.5 million to purchase an MRI scanner for the maternity hospital, which is one of the busiest in Europe, delivering almost 10,000 babies per year.
Controversy erupted earlier this year after it emerged the Sisters of Charity, through their ownership of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group (SVHG), would take control of the new national maternity hospital to be built on the campus.
The nuns later announced they were to end their involvement in SVHG and would have no involvement in the new hospital, with the NMH to be run by a newly-created company.
