Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 April 2014
180. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if there are alternative plans in place in the event of the proposed children’s hospital being refused planning permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17065/14]
View answer181. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health his view on whether the size of the site for the proposed children’s hospital is adequate for any future expansion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17066/14]
View answer182. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if the proposed children’s hospital at St. James’s will limit any future expansion of the adult hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17067/14]
View answer183. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health if it is proposed that the new children’s hospital at St. James’s will have helicopter access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17068/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 180 to 183, inclusive, together.
The new children's hospital is a commitment in the Programme for Government and is a priority for me as Minister and for this Government. In November 2012 I announced the Government decision that the new hospital would be co-located with St James's Hospital on its campus. Co-location with St James's and, ultimately, tri-location with a maternity hospital on the St James's campus will provide the excellence in clinical care that our children deserve. In making its decision, the Government carefully considered the report of the Dolphin Group, along with detailed supplementary information on cost, time and planning which was subsequently sought from members of the Dolphin Group with the relevant technical expertise.
The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is responsible for this priority capital project, and is focused on delivering the new hospital on schedule, to optimal design and value for money. On 2 August last, I announced the appointment to the Development Board of a Chair and Board members with the necessary construction, architectural, engineering, planning and procurement expertise to deliver this complex and large-scale project. I am confident that the Board, working with the HSE, with my Department and with the Children's Hospital Group Board, will ensure the successful completion of the hospital on the St James's campus and this Government has no alternative plans for any other location.
The Board is strongly focused on mitigating risks associated with the planning process. It is currently in the process of design team procurement with the aim being to appoint the full design team in June and to submit a planning application in February 2015 following design development. Helicopter access will be provided and the design team when appointed will examine the options for this as part of design development.
A total of 6.3 hectares is being made available on the St James's campus for the new children's hospital and a maternity hospital which provides the necessary capacity for both developments, including appropriate future-proofing taking into account projected future activity levels and associated capacity requirements. In 2013, the HSE also acquired a strategically important land bank at Davitt Road proximate to the St James's Hospital campus, which provides significant capacity to facilitate the planned developments at St James's in the short-term as well as to support the delivery of acute hospital and community health services in the south city in the longer term.
