Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The reason the Government - Fine Gael and the Labour Party - wants to do this is there has been an urgent need for many years to build a world class facility for all children. It will be one of the major projects in the Government's term of office. I have no interest in the speculation, the rumour or innuendo in the general mix of things surrounding a major decision such as this.

The Deputy asked me two questions. He asked whether the Government had commissioned another independent report on the national children's hospital. The answer to that question is "No." He also asked whether any Minister had commissioned other independent reports on any of the proposed locations. The answer to that question is also "No." The process is as I have outlined and stated by the chairman of the group, Mr. Dolphin, who was commissioned by the Government to present a report which was presented to the Minister in June and which set out the observations of his expert group on locations for consideration as the site of the national children's hospital. Mr. Dolphin issued a statement on presentation of his report which is available on the website.

There is one process only. On receipt of the Dolphin report, the Minister for Health and the Department would have assessed it. The Minister will bring his recommendation to the Government which will make its decision. It is a Government project which is part of the programme for Government. No other independent report or reports has or have been commissioned by the Government or Ministers.

See this speech in context