Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to the House. I wish to share time with my colleague, Deputy Seán Ryan.

The Minister of State may have heard about the latest saga concerning Temple Street hospital. Plans have been ongoing for at least the past 20 years to do something about the dilapidated buildings and the poor conditions under which staff are working and to transfer the hospital to a new campus within the grounds of the Mater hospital. Five acres of land have been earmarked for this and everything was prepared. The money was earmarked in the national development plan — originally a sum of €400 million was earmarked, although estimates have since risen to €500 million. The lion's share of the money has been earmarked for a number of years.

Temple Street hospital and the Mater hospital were told they could go to tender on the project, which they did. They received tenders but then a bolt came out of the blue and they were told they could not open the tenders because a review of tertiary paediatric services was being instituted and that nothing could be done until that review was complete. They were further informed that this review would require an amount of consultation down the line and, inevitably, the project was long-fingered and there is a possibility that it will not go ahead.

Now we are hearing rumours and suggestions that a new greenfield site will be acquired in the Tánaiste's constituency, which would house all paediatric services in the country. It is an absolute scandal that €46 million has been spent in preparation for the development and that money may be totally lost. It is also a scandal that Temple Street hospital should be allowed to remain in the condition it has been in for such a long time. It is not good for patients, parents or staff. It is a further scandal that at the 11th hour, when everything and everybody was prepared, the Minister should pull the plug. This issue is as big as the PPARS scandal and far more money is involved. The money that has already been spent could be totally lost. It is unacceptable and unconscionable that business would be done in this manner. I ask, in support of the staff and parents, who have had a number of meetings and put a number of statements and letters into the public domain, that the project proceed and that the decision that was made some time ago be progressed.

A letter was sent to the Minister for Health and Children, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Taoiseach by Dr. Timothy Lynch, chair of the division of medicine, consultant neurologist and chair of the Irish Consultant Neurologists Association, on behalf of the staff of the Mater hospital, seeking a site in the Mountjoy complex when that becomes available for rehabilitation facilities, a stroke unit and accident and emergency facilities. He argued that the existing facilities in the Mater hospital are inadequate and extra land is needed. I ask that Dr. Lynch's request be treated sympathetically.

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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The children from north Dublin, north county Dublin and the rest of the country are being treated in Victorian conditions in Temple Street hospital. The existing facilities are totally inadequate, leading to major queuing, discomfort and lack of privacy. The proposed new hospital, which has been on the agenda for approximately 25 years, will resolve these problems and must be commenced immediately. Our children are being used as pawns in an internal debate within the Health Service Executive as to the preferred location for tertiary paediatric services and this must cease immediately.

Parents are fortunate that the staff at the hospital, notwithstanding the conditions, are continuing to carry out their professional duties in such a caring and dedicated manner, in the interests of the children. Parents, staff, consultants and doctors at the hospital are totally opposed to the delaying of the project, seeing it merely as a stalling tactic to allow the HSE to examine alternative sites. Families throughout north Dublin, as the Acting Chairman, Deputy Glennon, will know well, are suffering. We must proceed immediately and I call on the public and the Minister of State to ensure that we do so as a matter of urgency. I know that Deputy Sargent will join me in trying to ensure that parents in north Dublin get the services for their children to which they are entitled. I urge the Minister of State to act, we must see action.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Hear, hear.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I join in the Deputies' tributes to all the staff at the Children's University Hospital in Temple Street. We are all agreed that a tremendous service has been provided there for many years. I am taking the matters on the adjournment on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

The Mater and children's hospital development is the largest single capital development project in the HSE capital programme. It involves the redevelopment of the Mater campus to include considerably expanded and improved facilities for the Mater itself and the construction of new, purpose-built accommodation which will replace the Children's University Hospital, Temple Street.

The tender documentation for the main scheme is complete and the project is ready to go to tender. In the context of the decision——

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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The project is about to go to tender?

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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It has already gone to tender, the tenders have been received.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In the context of the decision to be taken on the possible relocation of the facilities at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, the Tánaiste asked the Health Service Executive to undertake a review of tertiary paediatric services to ensure that such services are provided in the most efficient and effective manner. As Deputies will be aware, these are the highly specialised paediatric services. The HSE engaged——

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Irrespective of any decision on Crumlin, those services can be provided by Temple Street.

Jim Glennon (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State, without interruption, please.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE engaged a team of management consultants to provide a report on the strategic organisation of tertiary paediatric services in Ireland.

I understand that the consultants' report was furnished to the HSE yesterday and was to be considered by the HSE board today, so the Deputies' request on the adjournment is very timely.

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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I ask the Minister of State to give us the news.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE has advised that it would await consideration of the report before giving approval for the project to proceed to tender.

The Department will now have discussions with the HSE in light of the report to determine how the development project is to be advanced. The primary concern is to ensure that the solution arrived at is in the best interests of the children of this country.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Yes, indeed. That is why it is being delayed.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the separate matter raised by Deputy Costello on the future of the Mountjoy Prison site and the possible use of the site for hospital services, I understand that the Office of Public Works is undertaking a site examination on the land that will become available when the prison facilities are relocated.

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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There is an alternative for the prison in the Minister of State's constituency.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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It will be my constituency in the next general election, please God. I suggest the Deputy advise the relevant parties——

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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There is nothing like having a prison in one's constituency.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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——to contact the Office of Public Works in that regard.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The OPW has all the answers.