Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if it is intended to review the proposal to locate the new children's hospital adjacent to the Mater Hospital; if she has received or examined the compelling submissions from experts including consultants who are adamant that the previously available site for the children's hospital has greater advantages in terms of future development potential, accessibility and space for the provision of ancillary or support facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18079/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I have outlined to the House on a number of occasions the background to the selection of the site for the new National Paediatric Hospital.

The development of the National Paediatric Hospital is being overseen by a joint HSE / Department of Health and Children Transition Group. The current stage of the process involves the preparation of a high level framework brief for the new hospital. The brief is being developed for the Transition Group by Rawlinson Kelly & Whittlestone Ltd (RKW), an established UK-based health care planning company. RKW is advising on a range of issues which will help to inform the design of the new hospital. They are advising, for example, on the preferred model of care, on the core services to be delivered at the new hospital, and on the additional range of services to be provided outside of the main hospital through the urgent/ambulatory care service, and on the location(s) for this service, taking account of international best practice in the planning of children's hospital services. Final consultations with stakeholders are being held this week in advance of the publication of the High Level Framework document.

I recently signed the Order establishing the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board on a statutory basis. The principal functions of the Board will be to plan, design, build, furnish and equip the new hospital in accordance with the brief approved by the HSE. The Development Board held its inaugural meeting earlier this week.