Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Moloney. The Minister, Deputy Harney, was present this morning. When I saw last Thursday that we were to have statements on the new national children's hospital, I had sense of déjÀ vu. I have been present on at least two occasions discussing the hospital. I was rather surprised, but mainly disappointed, when the issue raised its head again a month ago and the controversy started.

I am very encouraged by the remarks of Senators Cannon and Donohoe, bearing in mind that there were very negative contributions this morning from a Member from the Labour Party and an Independent Member. I appreciate the views of the last two speakers for Fine Gael, and also those of Senator Fitzgerald, who suggested that we get on with the project. It is not about Dublin or about a sick child with appendicitis who had to come from Connolly Station and whose mother had to feed the meter and leave him or her with somebody. It is a question of accommodating the needs very sick children from Inishowen to the Beara Peninsula, and from the most westerly point in Connemara to the most easterly point in Monaghan.

I was particularly taken by the remarks of Senator Donohoe and often quote him. We may not always agree but I am taken by much of what he says. I agreed with his remark that it is not a question of where we live or represent and that it should never be. It should be a question of legislation, and the planning of institutions should be done on the basis of what is best for the country. This would resonate with the Minister of State because I remember an occasion on which he got into terrible trouble for going against local opinion requesting that a cancer unit be located in his own area. He concurred with the views of those who knew where it should be placed. Its location was determined by Government policy at the time. It would have been so much easier for the Minister of State to support the locating of the centre in County Laois. That is just part of what goes on.

The Minister said this morning that stand-alone facilities are a thing of the past and must never be considered in the future. One need only read the McKinsey report in this regard. It refers to children being treated by specialists who are at the same time treating adult patients. I do not believe there are medical disciplines that pertain only to adults or only to children. In children's medicine, one cannot have a specialist in every area and one needs to share with adult patients.

I am prompted to wonder what it must be like for the top-class medical professionals we are trying to attract to work in the proposed new national paediatric hospital when they listen to a debate such as this and realise we cannot even agree on where the hospital should be located. We want to attract the best experts to work at the new facility. As Senator O'Malley stated, it will be one of the few national paediatric hospitals in Europe, a fact of which we should be so proud. If we continue to sit on the fence and refuse to decide where the new facility should be located, who will want to work there?

The Minister briefly outlined the legal difficulty that arose in respect of St. James's Hospital and then indicated that the Mater Hospital had ticked all the right boxes. I accept that the Mater Hospital site might be confined. However, there are other hospitals throughout the world which also operate on such sites. I refer, for example, to the Sloan-Kettering cancer treatment centre in New York which, as a member of the Joint Committee on Health and Children, I had the privilege to visit and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, with which I am not familiar. These facilities are located in cities that never sleep and where people do not seem to stop to draw breath but both are world renowned. In Ireland we worry about whether it would be better to locate the new national paediatric hospital near the M50 or whether it would be more appropriate to provide more than 1,000 car parking spaces. We have shilly-shallied for long enough. People should stop talking nonsense and delaying the project. In the interests of sick children, we should progress it.

I agree with previous speakers on the shortfall of €110 million. I hope there will not be such a shortfall, particularly as the Minister indicated more funding will be available next year. In view of the fact that we are financially strapped, I hope the project will be given priority ahead of everything else. If money must be raised, we must put our shoulders to the wheel and do everything possible to ensure the new national paediatric hospital is built.

I am glad this debate has taken place. On Thursday last I did not know where we were going on this matter. The debate has been extremely positive in nature. Since he entered the Chamber, the Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, has been repeatedly informed by Members that it is time progress was made on the issue. I look forward to the commencement of construction in 2011 and the completion of the new hospital in 2014. When the ribbon is cut at the official opening, we can all take a bow and say, "Job well done." Senator Donohoe is laughing, but he may be the person charged with cutting the ribbon. Regardless of who is afforded that privilege, let us ensure the project proceeds.