Ms Eilísh Hardiman:

No. We are testing the model of care with the ambulatory and other care centres that could possibly bring benefits around that, but that would need to be tested and demonstrated and then taken into consideration as part of the transformation programme.

The Deputy asked about the Crumlin children's hospital site. It is important to record our appreciation of the committee's help in getting the legislation to merge the three children's hospitals through in 2018. As of 1 January, Children's Health Ireland governs the provision of paediatric services in the Dublin hospitals at Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght and will open services in Connolly hospital in the middle of this year. Under the legislation, the voluntary boards of Crumlin and Temple Street hospitals had to voluntarily transfer their assets and liabilities to the new entity. The Crumlin hospital campus was owned by the board and it has transferred to Children's Health Ireland. We can only use our assets to deliver services to children. The future use of the campus has not been explored. We will use it to deliver children's services until such time as the new children's hospital has opened and, as such, it will be occupied for the next four years. We will have to engage in a planning process in regard to the future use of the site. Following on from the merger, we see it as a planning option that we will put into place over the next few years. We certainly have use of the site for the next four years. Its future use has to benefit the children's hospitals. That is the condition under which it was transferred and it is the only purpose for which we can use it.

On the naming of the hospital, I am happy to clarify that there is no proposal to sell the name of the children's hospital, which the Minister has confirmed. We have already reported that there is a process to be engaged in for naming the hospital. It will acknowledge the work that has been done to date and take into consideration nominations and submissions made. We intend to kick off the process of naming the hospital soon.

On the Deputy's question as to whether there will be an opportunity to have philanthropic fundraising for parts of the hospital recognised, that is up for consideration. Many of the children's hospitals already do this. On the children's research and innovation centre, planning permission has been secured. The lands on which the centre will be built are owned by the HSE and so whatever is constructed on the land will be owned by the HSE. As in the case of Crumlin children's hospital, funding for the children's research and innovative centre will come from philanthropic fundraising. We see this as an ideal opportunity for naming one part of the building.

There are commercial elements that are feasible that we are exploring. Those are only in the discussion stages and will work through the HSE and the Department.