It has been agreed in principle that the Children's Hospital, Temple Street will be relocated on the campus of the Mater Hospital. It has also been accepted that future developments at the Mater Hospital would take into account the relocation of the Children's Hospital. However, it is not possible to say, at this time when the move will take place.
Pending relocation to the Mater Hospital site, a programme of improvements is ongoing at the Children's Hospital, Temple Street. In the interim, it is intended that the hospital will be provided with adequate facilities to enable it to perform its important functions in the delivery of paediatric hospital care.
In relation to the appointment of a paediatric surgeon, Comhairle na nOspidéal is currently facilitating a process involving the three paediatric hospitals, which is designed to deal with the question of the filling of this post as well as the broader issue of how best to structure existing surgery sessions across the hospitals. The management of the three hospitals have now agreed to produce a joint analysis of these two issues and any further decisions on the matter will await the result of their work.
The question of hospital security was addressed by a working group which was established in 1996 with a view to examining this issue. The group, which comprised public representatives, members of the Departments of Health and Justice, the Garda Síochána, Dublin Corporation and Temple Street Hospital made recommendations covering the spectrum of security issues. These recommendations are currently being considered within my Department in the context of the hospital's overall priorities.
Officials of my Department have been in discussion with the hospital's management for some time on the need to upgrade the hospital's casualty department and the development of a new 20 bedded day ward. I am pleased to inform the Deputy, that as a result of these discussions, my Department has recently written to the hospital management to convey approval to the establishment of a project team to prepare a design brief for the development. The estimated costs of the development are in the region of £2 million.
I am confident that this development will greatly enhance the quality of service provided by the hospital to the children in its catchment area and will improve the working conditions for the hospital's dedicated staff.
