Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has received representations from church authorities regarding the location of a new National Children's Hospital. [35190/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Taoiseach, the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Service Executive and I met with representatives of the Adelaide Hospital Society on 28 June 2006 to discuss a number of issues relating to the Adelaide and Meath Hospital incorporating the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght. The delegation included the Most Rev R.H.A. Eames, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Very Rev Dr David Clarke, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and Rev Desmond Bain, former President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, together with the Archbishop of Dublin, The Most Rev Dr John W Neill, President of the Hospital. They expressed concern at the implications for the National Children's Hospital of the Government decision to endorse the development of a single national tertiary paediatric hospital on a site to be made available by the Mater Hospital.

A number of other matters relating to the provision of hospital services at Tallaght were also discussed. In this context the delegation submitted a document proposing a wide range of service developments at the hospital over the next 10 years. The proposals have been forwarded to the Health Service Executive for consideration.

In a letter to Archbishop Eames following the meeting, the Taoiseach gave an assurance that the Government wishes the hospital to thrive on a sustainable basis as a particular focal point for the involvement of the minority tradition in the healthcare system and as a key health provider to an expanding local population. These objectives will be pursued in tandem with other compelling objectives, including the achievement of an effective and efficient hospital care system, which will deliver the highest possible standards of care within a framework designed to respond to the needs of patients at national, regional and local level.

Arising from the meeting, it has also been decided that a review will be conducted of decisions taken with regard to the funding and development of the hospital. The arrangements for the review are being finalised.

In relation to the development of the new National Paediatric Hospital, a joint HSE/Department of Health and Children Transition Group has been established to advance the matter. Among the key items to be addressed are the definition of high level framework brief for the new hospital and the determination of the range of services and location of the urgent care centres required to support the new hospital. The Transition Group will have consultations with relevant stakeholders, which will include representatives of the National Children's Hospital at Tallaght.

To date, no decision has been taken in relation to the range of services to be provided at the National Children's Hospital at Tallaght in the context of the development of the national paediatric hospital and the associated urgent care centres.