Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I do not believe that at any stage the Government or the HSE would have spent €5 million of taxpayers' money in preparing planning applications and doing the research that is needed to base the National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park. I am deeply disappointed and frustrated that this problem was raised at a very late stage. The plans should have been lodged at the end of the second quarter of 2015. As far as I am aware, they were substantially finished and were ready to be submitted, and at that stage the issue was raised.

Some €150 million has been committed to the project in the capital investment programme. We now know that €5 million has been spent on the preparation of the planning application. A lot of consultative work was done at the early stages of the project, and at a very late stage the issue of governance arose. I do not believe it is acceptable for there to be any further delay on the part of the two hospitals concerned. I wish the mediation every success and offer it every encouragement, but both hospitals have to be practical and put the health of mothers and children first. This is not a case of money not being available. The money is in place and has been ring-fenced, and €5 million of it has already been spent.

I know the Minister cannot comment on my final point. If mediation is not successful, the Minister will face a number of bad choices and will have to pick the best of them. I urge him to investigate and be ready to consider the possibility of a compulsory purchase of the site to allow the hospital to be built and the planning application to be lodged. I know they are two voluntary hospitals and this is a turf war. They have to set aside their interests and put children and mothers to the forefront.