Professor Chris Fitzpatrick:

For a period, I was on the project team for the co-location of the National Maternity Hospital at St. Vincent's, representing the HSE's clinical programme. I would be fully supportive of that. With regard to medical politics, hospitals are in competition with each other, but I think the maternity hospitals are mutually supportive. I would want to see that happen. The conditions at the National Maternity Hospital required it to be relocated. We see what money has been squandered. I do not think that is somehow undermining the fact that a second maternity hospital is needed. There is not a week in which the maternity hospitals are not in the High Court or the news. That is somewhat due to a legacy of underinvestment in them. I fully support Holles Street's development. It is at quite a distance from the national children's hospital. We are the closest hospital. It is supposed to be a Government priority. I think it needs to be done. There are other hospitals, including the Rotunda and Limerick, but prioritisation needs to be given and work needs to commence. The top priority project for this State is to build the children's hospital. The project could become a legacy of failure and disappointment if it does not deliver what it set out to deliver. I emphasise that what happens elsewhere does not concern me. What happens with regard to this does.