Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I agree with the Deputy that there is an urgent need to build a national children's hospital. It is a great pity that so many years were wasted in the preparation of the plans for the hospital and their submission to the planning authorities and that the project was put at risk by the fact that the previous Government had not provided sufficient funding for it. I wish to make it clear that the Government will build a national children's hospital. The children of the country deserve no less. There are huge problems in the paediatric hospitals and a crying need for such a hospital.

It is disappointing that An Bord Pleanála has made the decision to refuse planning permission. I have just seen the decision and the reasons for it given by the board which is, of course, an independent body. We have an independent planning system which we must respect. The Government will now have to consider what options are open to it in the light of the decision. From my initial reading of it, the principal reasons for refusing permission appear to relate to the height and scale of the proposed development. This will have to be looked at to see if some changes can be made that would satisfy An Bord Pleanála in a subsequent application. The issue of an alternative site might have to be examined and the approach recommended by the Deputy might also have be considered. We will have to reflect on the available options.

The Government has identified the source of funding for the national children's hospital, even in these difficult times when we have had to scale back on capital projects. We have made it absolutely clear that we intend to proceed with building the hospital. It is unfortunate that we must now deal with the outcome of An Bord Pleanála's decision, but we will reflect on it, deal with it and advance the project.

See this speech in context