Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

The new national paediatric hospital is a priority for the Government. The capital spending on it will be protected over the full lifetime of the project. The total estimated cost of the development, including the ambulatory and urgent care centre at Tallaght, is €650 million. This is €100 million less than a previous estimate because of the fall in building prices.

Of the total cost, €400 million is committed by the Exchequer and is reflected in the HSE's capital plan this year. This will be increased to a figure of €450 million in the HSE's capital plan for 2011. A total of €25 million has already been spent on the planning, design and support of the project since 2007. The balance will be met from philanthropic initiatives, estimated at €110 million, and from commercial and other sources of some €90 million. The commercial and other sources include a car park, commercial units, research funding, private clinics, universities and medical schools. One of the functions of the national paediatric hospital development board is to pursue philanthropic sources of funding. It is working intensively on this issue.

The development board is making good progress in planning and developing the new hospital at the Mater site. It has formally asked An Bord Pleanála for the project to be considered under the strategic infrastructure legislation and had an initial meeting with An Bord Pleanála on 5 November 2010. Subject to planning permission being granted, construction of the new hospital is scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2011 with completion of construction scheduled for the end of 2014.

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