Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 182: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement regarding Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin; and the timeframe she is following in respect of making a decision regarding its future. [39058/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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It is accepted that the current infrastructure at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children does not generally meet the standards required for a modern paediatric hospital. The available facilities do not satisfactorily accommodate the range and extent of current clinical and associated activity. In recognition of this, a project team was established to plan for the overall future development of Our Lady's Hospital, either on the existing hospital site or at an alternative greenfield location.

The project team undertook a detailed examination of the potential to redevelop the hospital on its present site. The project team concluded that the existing clinical services could be retained and developed on the present site but also set out the implications of such an approach in terms of time, cost and disruption to services. As a consequence it is likely that the new hospital will be located at an alternative site.

I have asked the Health Service Executive to arrange for a review to be undertaken of highly specialised paediatric services to ensure they are provided in the most efficient and effective manner. The outcome of this review will help to inform the decision on the range of services to be provided at the new Crumlin hospital. I expect this review to be completed as a matter of urgency.

It is proposed that a site option appraisal study will be carried out when the review has been completed. The focus of that study will be to evaluate the options for the relocation of the hospital, leading to the acquisition of an alternative site, if such is recommended by the process. The study will be subject to public tendering procedures.