Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

There are three aspects to the amendment I tabled. Pending the opening of the national children's hospital, will the Government ensure the existing children's hospitals will be properly funded for much needed facilities and investment? The Minister visited Crumlin hospital a number of years ago in respect of ward closures due to funding. There are problems with the cardiac unit and there are problems in Temple Street Children's University Hospital as well, where the doctors have said the facilities are obsolete and not fit for purpose. We really need a fantastic national children's hospital at St. James's Hospital but there is concern that while we wait for that the services elsewhere should not be allowed to go downhill or fall behind. There is also concern that workers in the existing hospitals would be guaranteed jobs in the new hospital. This means that if there are 50 cleaning jobs in the new hospital, the workers from the three other hospitals should be given first access to them and not have to re-apply for their jobs. In addition, a public health facility should be maintained on the Crumlin children's hospital site. What is the future for that site? The church gave those grounds to the HSE to develop the site and it is part of the board. It would be a useful public health facility in the future.

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