Written answers

Wednesday, 25 January 2006

Department of Health and Children

Hospitals Building Programme

8:00 pm

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 353: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will support the children's hospital in Temple Street in its efforts to develop services on the north side of Dublin; and the reason for the recent delays in expansion. [1336/06]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Mater and children's hospital development is the largest single capital development project in the HSE capital programme. It involves the redevelopment of the Mater campus to include considerably expanded and improved facilities for the Mater itself and the construction of new, purpose-built accommodation which will replace the Children's University Hospital, Temple Street.

In the context of the decision to be taken on the possible relocation of the facilities at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, I asked the Health Service Executive to undertake a review of tertiary or highly specialised paediatric services to ensure that paediatric services are provided in the most efficient and effective manner. The HSE recently engaged a team of management consultants to provide a report on the strategic organisation of tertiary paediatric services in Ireland. Specifically, the report is to identify whether tertiary paediatric services should be provided on one or more sites, the facilities required to meet tertiary needs and the facilities required to meet secondary, that is, less complex, paediatric services in Dublin.

This review clearly has implications for the scope of the Mater and children's hospital development project and the HSE has advised the hospital that it needs to await the report before giving approval for the project to proceed to tender. The HSE expects to receive the consultant's report by the end of this month and my Department will have further discussions with the HSE at that stage to see how to advance the development project. My primary concern is to ensure that we arrive at a solution which is in the best interests of the children of this country.

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