Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is a matter of urgency that the National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street, Dublin, is moved to Elm Park, Dublin 4, so that it is co-located with St. Vincent's University Hospital. The National Maternity Hospital has been located on Holles Street since 1894 and has provided 118 years of service. However, the site is unsuitable for future expansion and there have been a series of recommendations for it, the latest being the 2008 KPMG independent review of maternity and services in the greater Dublin area. It recommended the hospital should be co-located alongside adult acute services at St. Vincent’s. Holles Street is Ireland's busiest maternity hospital with nearly 10,000 babies born there in 2010. The baby boom is stretching the fabric of its outdated building to the limit.

As a former member of the board, I am aware there were concrete plans to relocate to Elm Park. Unfortunately, this was not carried out by previous Administrations when funds were available. The National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, has informed me two buildings are available in the Elm Park development with 19,230 sq. m. of gross internal floor area and another with 10,869 sq. m. The building could be retrofitted to accommodate a maternity hospital which would provide the modern facilities and co-location all experts agree is required. I understand discussions took place between the Minister for Health and NAMA which have now concluded. When will the Minister seek sanction for a move from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for this move?

Maternity services in Dublin are at breaking point. With the recent announcement of the location of the national children's hospital, it is important we recognise the new-born and mothers are provided with a building fit for purpose and are co-located with adult services. The HSE has spent over €16 million on capital investment at Holles Street in the past ten years, over €2 million alone in 2011, to adapt a building over a century old. Tacking on space is not an answer. The announcement of the site for the national children’s hospital was very much welcomed. For well over two decades, it has been identified that the current site of the National Maternity Hospital is not fit for purpose. The building is shoehorned into a very tight space. The space and facilities for a new hospital site are just down the road beside an acute hospital, St. Vincent’s. Now is the time to make the commitment and start planning to make this move. The National Maternity Hospital services not just the greater Dublin area but the eastern region. It is important to make those decisions now to ensure the delivery of maternity services the country deserves.

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