Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will address the concerns of a person (details supplied) in relation to the proposed location of the National Children's Hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17659/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I note the points made in the correspondence supplied by the Deputy. However, I am satisfied that the proposed location for the National Children's Hospital is the correct one, having regard to the full range of expert advice available.

A joint HSE/Department of Health and Children Task Force was established in February 2006 following the presentation of the report Children's Health First-International best practice in tertiary paediatric services: implications for the strategic organisation of tertiary paediatric services in Ireland to advise on the optimum location of the proposed new paediatric hospital. The Task Group also included representation from the Office of Public Works.

The Task Group considered submissions from a number of hospitals in the greater Dublin area, from private hospitals and other stakeholders and engaged in extensive consultations with the three existing paediatric hospitals, the maternity hospitals and external experts.

The Task Group commissioned RKW to prepare a High Level Framework Brief which includes a detailed assessment of the capacity of the Mater Hospital site to accommodate the space requirements of the National Children's Hospital.. The Brief indicates that all requirements can be accommodated on the site and still allow expansion beyond the year 2021.

I note the points made to the Deputy regarding the case for locating the hospital on a site close to the M50 motorway, with links to the rest of the country. However, a key conclusion of the expert advice provided was that the new facility should be located on the site of an adult acute hospital in order to have appropriate links with related services.

The location of the new children's hospital was selected prior to the decision on the precise route of the Metro North line. However, the subsequent decision to proceed with the Metro North project and to locate a Metro stop at the Mater campus with an entrance / exit to Eccles Street will assist with access to the new children's hospital.

I am pleased to note that planning of the new hospital is proceeding on schedule, and that the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and the HSE are making very good progress in their work to bring this important project to fruition. The Hospital is on target to open by the end of 2014.