Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the cost to date of the proposed new national children's hospital at the Mater Hospital site in Dublin; the expected final cost of the provision of this hospital with a breakdown of these costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24527/08]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the expected closure dates of the paediatric hospitals in Tallaght and Crumlin; the process involved in these closures and in transferring services elsewhere; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24528/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.

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.

A number of key appointments are being progressed by the Board to progress the project to the next stage. A Medical Director has recently been appointed and the Board intends to appoint a Chief Officer and Finance Officer shortly. The Board is also in the process of procuring professional project management support services. Tenders for a Business Adviser Service are being evaluated while invitations to tender issued recently to short-listed candidates for Planning and Design support services (including architects, engineers etc.).

Following the recruitment of the support teams, a detailed Development Brief for the new hospital will be prepared. This is due for completion by the end of the 1st Quarter 2009. This will build on the extensive preparatory work already undertaken for the HSE by RKW, (a UK based health care company) which involved the preparation of a detailed High Level Framework Brief for the hospital. The Development 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. A more accurate estimate of costs will be available at that point. The legal requirements for the transfer of the designated site for the new hospital to the HSE have been agreed.

The vast majority of children who presently attend the National Children Hospital's Emergency Department at Tallaght do not require admission and will continue to access their care locally at a major new Ambulatory Care Centre to be developed at the hospital. This will be the first such centre to be developed to support the National Paediatric Hospital. It has been estimated that when the Centre is developed it will cater for approximately 48,000 emergency attendances, 9,000 day cases and 58,000 out-patient attendances. The actual level of activity will depend on the number of such centres developed over time. My Department has asked the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to revert directly to the Deputy on the other issues raised by him.