Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 56: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the proposals she has considered for the new children's hospital in Crumlin; if she has considered a greenfield development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15624/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I recently visited Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin. I met the committee of management and viewed some of the facilities there, which are clearly in need of investment. The infrastructure does not meet current standards for a paediatric hospital facility and the available facilities do not satisfactorily accommodate the range and extent of current clinical and associated activity.

Some time ago, a project team, including representatives from the hospital, the former Eastern Regional Health Authority and my Department, was established to plan for the overall future development of the hospital. Under the direction of the project team, an outline development control plan was prepared by a specially-appointed design team. The ODCP demonstrated the feasibility of accommodating new facilities on the existing Crumlin site. It also, however, clearly set out the implications of such an approach in terms of cost, time and disruption to services.

This has given rise to concern among the management and staff. This reflects my own view on the matter and, accordingly, I have decided that it is now appropriate to examine the feasibility of identifying an alternative site for the provision of a new hospital. The development of new facilities on a greenfield site could have significant advantages, including speedier delivery of the building, with less impact on existing services.

My Department is working as a priority with the Health Service Executive in drawing up terms of reference to guide the process of identifying suitable sites. On completion of a site option appraisal exercise, which will be subject to public tendering procedures and which, it is anticipated, will take four months, a final decision can be made as to whether the redevelopment will commence on the Crumlin site or elsewhere. The work of the project team will help to inform decisions on the level and configuration of services to be provided at the hospital, irrespective of its final location.

I also accept that it is necessary to continue to invest in the upgrading of facilities on the Crumlin site during the development programme, even in the event of the hospital being relocated off-site. In this regard, interim upgrading works in the haematology-oncology department, the radiology department and the cardiology department are currently being progressed on the Crumlin site.

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin is the national tertiary hospital for children and I am delighted the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children is not opposed to the idea of selecting a well-structured greenfield site for a new hospital. Fine Gael believes that a tertiary hospital for all services should be built on a greenfield site, somewhere like the west Dublin site that is a possible location for this. Will the Tánaiste give her views on this proposal? Should there not be a proper national treatment centre for both children and adults? Such a hospital would deal with neurosurgery, transplant surgery and other specialities that have been tagged on to other Dublin hospitals.

Building a large tertiary hospital would improve access both by road and helicopter for the entire island. It would contribute to freeing up an enormous number of beds in the major Dublin hospitals where, as the Tánaiste is aware, there is a major crisis regarding the availability of beds. Under the national development plan, additional beds are to be opened in these hospitals. Would it not be better to remove speciality services from these hospitals, put them into a national tertiary hospital and develop a proper national tertiary service for the whole island that would treat serious and rare conditions?

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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There is considerable merit in Deputy Twomey's proposal. We must have more routine services for children spread throughout the country within easy reach of families. On my visit to Cork on Monday to open the new accident and emergency department at Cork University Hospital, I saw that the hospital has a separate child-friendly accident and emergency facility. However, Deputy Twomey's suggestion regarding a tertiary facility for a population of 4 million makes sense. Clearly, we would need to avail of the best expertise in this area. It is always better to bring those providing a national service together in a single location. I will bear that in mind in the context of a decision on Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children.

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Will the Tánaiste tell the House when Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children will receive an MRI scanner?

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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There is a clear need for an MRI scanner to replace the current outdated machinery at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children. It is intended to provide for that in the capital programme, which I will announce shortly.