Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom ceist tábhachtach a ardú leis an Taoiseach. Last week I attended a preplanning consultation meeting on the new children's hospital. I welcome the initiative by the chairman of the children's hospital group board, Ms Eilish Hardiman, to involve stakeholders, local people and elected representatives. However, two pieces of legislation are required which have been in the legislative programme since 2011 and perhaps even before then. They are the national paediatric hospital development board (amendment) Bill and the new children's hospital establishment Bill. Both Bills are tied to the work of the children's hospital group.

In the past I have asked when they are likely to be introduced, as the legislative programme suggests it is not possible to indicate at this stage when publication is expected. The work is going ahead and the development board of the children's hospital group intends to put in a planning application later this year. Would it not be reasonable to expect the national paediatric hospital development board (amendment) Bill to be introduced prior to that planning application being put in place? I understand the second Bill, the new children's hospital establishment Bill, will deal with the functions of the children's hospital both in the near future and when the hospital is completed by 2020, 2030, 2040 or whenever it happens. I hope the sooner the better, but can urgency be attached to these two items of legislation in order that they can be passed to facilitate the development of the hospital?

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