Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

Like Deputy Shortall, I am extremely concerned at the threat to the future of Temple Street children's hospital and I am committed to ensuring the hospital be retained and redeveloped on the Mater campus site that had been identified for it 20 years ago. Temple Street hospital has served the people of Dublin, not just on the north side, and the entire country very well for many generations. A brand new children's hospital was to be built on the grounds of the Mater hospital to replace the present old buildings. All the planning, design, tendering and funding arrangements were in place for the project to begin early in 2006. However, the project was put on hold by the Tánaiste and Minister and Health and Children at the 11th hour on 29 December 2005. Temple Street was forbidden to open the tenders and consultants McKinsey and Company were appointed to produce a report on best practice for a world class paediatric facility. At the end of January 2006 McKinsey and Company produced the report and a task force was set up under the aegis of the HSE and the Department of Health and Children to recommend the best location for the new paediatric hospital. A final decision will be made in a few weeks. My concern is that the decision has already been taken by the Minister for Health and Children and the HSE. The appointment of consultants and the task force is merely a smokescreen to give justification to a recommendation to locate the new children's hospital on the southside of Dublin, in or adjacent to the Tánaiste's constituency.

We cannot stand idly by while the northside is deprived of a world class facility in the best and most suitable location. Waiting lists are already five or six times what they are on the southside. Last night the Labour Party held a public meeting in the Teachers' Club to support the Temple Street project. The response was enthusiastic. This is the first step in a campaign to save Temple Street from the internal politics of the HSE and the Minister for Health and Children. Temple Street is the optimum location for the new hospital and its tradition must not be lost.

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