Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

Yesterday, we discussed the independent review group's ratification of the previous Government's decision to proceed with the new national children's hospital on the Mater Hospital site. I am pleased that the Cabinet has agreed with the decision of the independent review group and has decided to proceed towards seeking planning permission, with minor alterations to it. Yesterday, I asked the Leader to ask the Government for a commitment to proceed with the project, one way or the other. In a statement yesterday, the Minister for Health said the project would be considered as part of the review of the capital programme.

The previous CEO of the HSE confirmed that €450 million has been ring-fenced for this project under the four year plan, which is agreed. Therefore, €450 million in capital funding is available. Yesterday, Senator Bacik said there will also be some private investment. It is crucially important to give certainty. No private investment or philanthropic donation will be forthcoming without certainty from Government that the project will proceed.

The Government has said the capital programme is being reviewed, which is the Government's right, and that decisions will be made in September. This House will rise at the end of the month and the Dáil will rise a week sooner. We have not had an opportunity to discuss the national development plan or crucial matters such as the national children's hospital. I seek assurance from the Minister for Health that the €450 million is ring-fenced in the four year plan, which is part of the troika deal. This has been confirmed and I ask the Government to confirm that the money is there. The Government should not use the capital programme review to delay this project. Government cannot simply review everything. It must begin to make decisions.

This is not simply a matter of building the national children's hospital. The merger of the three existing hospitals, and their management structures, must begin immediately. If the Government proceeds with the project, which I hope it does, and the hospital is built by 2015, preparatory work on the management of the new hospital must start now. The Government needs to tell the three existing hospitals that the project is proceeding and that they need to move very quickly towards starting to merge their own functions and to prepare themselves to move into the new children's hospital in 2015.

The Government needs to confirm that the €450 million is in place and to stop hiding behind the review. The House needs an opportunity to discuss the Government review of the capital programme in general terms. It will be too late to raise this matter again in September, when decisions have been made. It is important that the House has a say in this.

Yesterday, Senator Norris raised the issue of servicing the children's hospital site by public transport and particularly by metro north, which is another project that has been kicked into review. We are told a choice must be made between metro north, the DART interconnector and the connection of the Luas lines, which is completely different from what was said in the run-up to the general election. The capital programme needs to be discussed in the House before decisions are taken.