Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to the House. I wish to share time with my colleague, Deputy Seán Ryan.

The Minister of State may have heard about the latest saga concerning Temple Street hospital. Plans have been ongoing for at least the past 20 years to do something about the dilapidated buildings and the poor conditions under which staff are working and to transfer the hospital to a new campus within the grounds of the Mater hospital. Five acres of land have been earmarked for this and everything was prepared. The money was earmarked in the national development plan — originally a sum of €400 million was earmarked, although estimates have since risen to €500 million. The lion's share of the money has been earmarked for a number of years.

Temple Street hospital and the Mater hospital were told they could go to tender on the project, which they did. They received tenders but then a bolt came out of the blue and they were told they could not open the tenders because a review of tertiary paediatric services was being instituted and that nothing could be done until that review was complete. They were further informed that this review would require an amount of consultation down the line and, inevitably, the project was long-fingered and there is a possibility that it will not go ahead.

Now we are hearing rumours and suggestions that a new greenfield site will be acquired in the Tánaiste's constituency, which would house all paediatric services in the country. It is an absolute scandal that €46 million has been spent in preparation for the development and that money may be totally lost. It is also a scandal that Temple Street hospital should be allowed to remain in the condition it has been in for such a long time. It is not good for patients, parents or staff. It is a further scandal that at the 11th hour, when everything and everybody was prepared, the Minister should pull the plug. This issue is as big as the PPARS scandal and far more money is involved. The money that has already been spent could be totally lost. It is unacceptable and unconscionable that business would be done in this manner. I ask, in support of the staff and parents, who have had a number of meetings and put a number of statements and letters into the public domain, that the project proceed and that the decision that was made some time ago be progressed.

A letter was sent to the Minister for Health and Children, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Taoiseach by Dr. Timothy Lynch, chair of the division of medicine, consultant neurologist and chair of the Irish Consultant Neurologists Association, on behalf of the staff of the Mater hospital, seeking a site in the Mountjoy complex when that becomes available for rehabilitation facilities, a stroke unit and accident and emergency facilities. He argued that the existing facilities in the Mater hospital are inadequate and extra land is needed. I ask that Dr. Lynch's request be treated sympathetically.

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