Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I read today in The Irish Timesand saw yesterday at the health care committee that the chief of the HSE made a statement that the HSE cannot progress the national children's hospital at the St. James's site. This is absolutely shocking. This Government knew about this hospital being constructed before the general election. It waved the site around. It has already spent money on consultants, on a board and on liaising with local residents. It is absolutely shocking to hear now, just when contracts were about to be signed, that this hospital will not go ahead. It is like a couple without a deposit or any mortgage approval saying they are going to buy a house. What this Government has done is absolutely disgraceful. It dangled a beautiful hospital in front of the eyes of the sick children of this country when it had absolutely no intention of going ahead with it. It is a disgrace. I would like the Minister for Health to attend the Seanad today to explain to us exactly what is going on and what his intentions are for this hospital. This hospital must go ahead. It is so important that the children of this country have the highest quality standard of care. Anything less than that is unacceptable.

I would also like to raise the issue-----