Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 274: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress to date on the development of the National Children's Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22601/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The development of the National Paediatric Hospital is a priority project for the Government. The objective is to provide a world-class specialist paediatric service for children in this country.

The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board was established in May 2007. The Board has statutory responsibility for planning, designing, building, furnishing and equipping the new National Paediatric Hospital.

The Board is made up of representatives from transferring paediatric hospitals, the Faculty of Paediatrics of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, the General Public and the Health Service Executive. The Executive is working closely with the Development Board in progressing the project.

The Board is in the process of recruiting a number of key personnel to progress the project to the next stage. My Department is advised that the Development Board hopes to be in a position to make these appointments shortly.

The Board is also procuring professional project management support services. Tenders for a Business Adviser Service are currently being evaluated by the Board.

Following the recruitment of the support teams, the next stage of the project will involve the preparation of a detailed Development Brief for the new hospital. This will build on the work undertaken for the HSE by RKW, which involved the preparation of a High Level Framework Brief for the hospital. The target of the Board is to have the Development Brief completed by the end of the 1st Quarter 2009.

The Brief will be converted into a detailed design, outlining the exact dimensions and specifications for the new hospital, to allow the project proceed to tender for construction.

The legal requirements to enable the transfer of the designated site for the hospital to the HSE have been agreed. The Department has been advised that the transfer of the site to the HSE has now been finalised. I look forward to continuing progress on this important development.