Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 3

Written Answers. - Hospitals Building Projects.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

255 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the board of St. Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, has applied for the demolition of the 13 floor nurses' home, which contains over 250 bedrooms, as part of the proposed development of the medical facilities and ancillary car parking facilities at Elm Park; if he has consulted the Department of the Environment and Local Government in relation to the desirability of the destruction of over 250 bedrooms in Dublin city at a time of housing scarcity; the direct communication, if any, he has had with the board of the hospital or its project team charged with the development of the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22354/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The Deputy will be aware that a major redevelopment plan for St. Vincent's Hospital has been approved by my Department at a cost in excess of £50 million. The first phase of this project involves the provision of new or refurbished accommodation in the following five major departments at the hospital: ambulatory day care; accident and emergency; intensive care unit; pathology; radiology and nuclear medicine.

I am aware that detailed plans for the development have been submitted by the hospital to the planning authority, Dublin Corporation. The Deputy will appreciate that it is a matter for Dublin Corporation to assess and decide on the planning application.

In order to facilitate the commencement of the development, it is considered necessary that the nurses home, which is located on the hospital site, be removed. This 13 storey building, built around 1970, was designed as a residence for student nurses but is no longer required by the hospital for this purpose.

The project team charged with overseeing the hospital development, which includes senior professional and administrative officials from my Department, considered possible uses for the building through a number of option appraisals. However, no suitable hospital use was found. In addition, the construction cost of refurbishing this building to current acceptable standards at in excess of £5 million, excluding equipping and alteration costs, was estimated.

If the Nurses' Home were to be developed for residential purposes, outside of the hospital's needs, additional spaces would be required for parking and ancillary facilities associated with the development.

The St. Vincent's Hospital site is somewhat restricted in terms of available space and this would present a scenario whereby there would be insufficient area left for parking and ancillary facilities associated with the hospital development.