Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 December 2005
140 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the recommendations of the committee of management of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12, adopted at their meeting of 30 November 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39389/05]
View answer141 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether a greenfield site is a more acceptable option for the redevelopment of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, as recommended in the report adopted by the hospital committee of management on 30 November 2005. [39390/05]
View answer142 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether a proposed new hospital on a greenfield site could be delivered in a timely fashion, three years from design to commissioning as recommended in the report adopted by the committee of management of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, at their meeting on 30 November 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39391/05]
View answer143 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether it would be appropriate for the proposed new hospital, Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, to be held in public ownership by the Archbishop and committee of management of the hospital, as recommended in the report adopted by the hospital committee of management on 30 November 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39392/05]
View answer144 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether it would be appropriate that the development partner for the redevelopment of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, would not have to consult with hospital users, as is suggested by the committee of management in its agreed policy of 30 November 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39393/05]
View answer145 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether a hospital of 300 beds, as is being planned for with the redevelopment of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, is sufficient to cover the demand for beds and other capacity requirements of a modern paediatric hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39394/05]
View answer150 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the committee of management of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12, and its deliberations, in particular regarding hospital development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39462/05]
View answer151 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the communications she or her officials have had with the management of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, with the hospital’s committee of management, and with the Health Service Executive regarding the redevelopment of the hospital on a greenfield site as recommended by the committee of management. [39463/05]
View answer152 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the commitments she or her officials have made with the management of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, the hospital’s committee of management and the Health Service Executive regarding the redevelopment of the hospital on a greenfield site as recommended by the committee of management. [39464/05]
View answer153 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if approval has been given to proceed to develop a new hospital for Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, on a greenfield site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39465/05]
View answer154 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the meetings she or her officials attended at which the redevelopment of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, on a greenfield site was discussed; when same were held and the other persons who were present. [39466/05]
View answer155 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has received a briefing document from the acting chief executive of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39467/05]
View answer156 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the minutes of the committee of management of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, relating to plans to redevelop the hospital will be made public, in particular the meetings of 26 October 2005, 9 November 2005 and 30 November 2005, and subsequent meetings where this issue was discussed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39468/05]
View answer157 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on whether it is appropriate that the committee of management of Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, is planning that the construction of a new hospital for Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, will be largely dependent on significant public fundraising and donations from its overall fundraising package, rather than by Exchequer funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39469/05]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 140 to 145, inclusive, and Nos. 150 to 157, inclusive, together.
The project team established to plan for the overall future development of Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, has undertaken a detailed examination of the potential to redevelop the hospital on its present site. It concluded that the existing clinical services could be retained and developed on the present site, but also set out the implications of such an approach in terms of time, cost and disruption to services. As a consequence, it is my view that it is likely that the new hospital will be located at an alternative site.
I met with members of the hospital's committee of management last September and they articulated the concerns of the hospital's staff on the disruption to services that would be caused by redevelopment on-site.
I have asked the Health Service Executive to arrange for a review to be undertaken of highly specialised paediatric services to ensure that they are provided in the most efficient and effective manner. The outcome of this review will help to inform the decision on the range of services to be provided at the new Crumlin hospital. I expect this review to be completed as a matter of urgency.
It is proposed, when the review has been completed, that a site option appraisal study will be carried out, the focus of which will be to evaluate the options for the relocation of the hospital, leading to the acquisition of an alternative site if such is recommended by the process. This study will be subject to public tendering procedures.
I am aware that there is significant private sector interest in the redevelopment of the hospital and I have met with a number of the interested parties.
