Michael Conaghan (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In choosing St. James's Hospital as the location for the national children's hospital, the Government has opted for the right site for the right reasons. This decision was never about green fields or proximity to the M50; it was about children's medicine. St. James's Hospital was the choice of all the experts, both national and international. It was supported by the existing children's hospital in Crumlin and by such distinguished commentators as John Cooper, the leading architect of hospitals in Europe. Above all, it was the location recommended by Frank Dolphin and his expert group. The scaremongering that took place in recent days, since it became clear that St. James's Hospital was the front-runner, is disgraceful. I am particularly disgusted at the suggestion by the clinical director of Connolly Hospital that an inner-city location would scare children.

Located on the St. James's campus, the new facility will be connected to Ireland's leading hospital. It will have access to an unrivalled level of medical expertise and a range of clinical specialties that is second to none. This decision is clearly in the best interests of our children. The new facility will bring great prestige to the south-west inner city. It is the equivalent of a major multinational company setting up in an area and will give a huge boost to the local economy. It will create jobs, both in construction and in the operation of the hospitals, and support local businesses. Furthermore, it will encourage a generation of young local people to consider a career in health science.

At the press conference on Tuesday, the Minister, Deputy James Reilly, referred to the potential for creating a medical quarter in the south-west inner city. The new children's hospital will join St. James's, the Coombe, the Trinity Centre for Health Sciences at St. James's and many other services and facilities in the district. It has the potential to be a world-class health campus. Will the Minister expand on the measures he proposes to take to develop and capitalise on this concept? I thank him and his ministerial colleagues for their efforts on this issue.

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