Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 March 2007
31 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Health and Children if she plans on continuing with the decision to locate the National Children’s Hospital on the Mater site, despite strong and various objections; the stage the development is at; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12074/07]
Amharc ar fhreagra86 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to proposals to close down all of the existing children’s hospitals in Dublin in favour of the development of proposed facilities at the Mater Hospital site; if her attention has further been drawn to the strong opposition to such proposal, the serious detrimental impact on the availability and accessibility of hospital facilities for children in such circumstances and the limited capacity of the Mater hospital site in comparison with the extensive site accommodation already available to the existing National Children’s Hospital; if she has consulted with those who disagree with the proposed relocation of the NCH to the restricted Mater Hospital site; if she has examined and compared on a cost benefit basis, including easy access the merit of the alternative site on offer; her views on whether the larger, more accessible site with most potential is already available at the NCH; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12061/07]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 86 together.
I have outlined to the House on a number of occasions the background to the selection of the site for the new National Paediatric Hospital. The development of the National Paediatric Hospital is being overseen by a joint HSE/Department of Health and Children Transition Group.
The current stage of the process involves the preparation of a high level framework brief for the new hospital. The brief is being developed for the Transition Group by Rawlinson Kelly & Whittlestone Ltd (RKW), an established UK-based health care planning company. RKW will be advising on a range of issues which will help to inform the design of the new hospital. They will be advising, for example, on the preferred model of care, on the core services to be delivered at the new hospital, and on the additional range of services to be provided outside of the main hospital through the urgent/ambulatory care service, and on the location(s) for this service, taking account of international best practice in the planning of children's hospital services.
RKW is consulting widely in the course of its work, and in this context the input of all stakeholders will be of benefit in ensuring the delivery of our shared objective of providing a world-class hospital for the children of this country.
