Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 111: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason for her decision to sign the statutory instrument providing for the establishment of a single new national children's hospital on the Mater Hospital campus during the election 2007 campaign; the status of this hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17603/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

On the 8th March last I announced the appointment of Mr Philip Lynch as Chairman-designate of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board. I indicated publicly at that time that I would shortly be signing an Order establishing the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board on a legal basis. I recently signed the legal instrument giving rise to the legal establishment of the Board. I met with the Development Board last Monday when it held its inaugural meeting.

The principal function of the Development Board will be to plan, design, build, furnish and equip the new National Paediatric Hospital in accordance with a brief to be approved by the Health Service Executive. The brief, which is being finalised, will set out the preferred model of care, the core services to be delivered at the new hospital, and the additional range of services to be provided outside the main hospital, taking account of international best practice in the planning of children's hospital services.

The HSE is being advised in this context by Rawlinson Kelly & Whittlestone Ltd., an established UK-based healthcare planning company. In the interim the Board will be familiarising itself with the issues involved and will begin the process of putting in place the necessary project support structure to progress the development.