Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the proposed bed capacity, the number of operating theatres and the number of nursing and other medical and non-medical staff proposed for the new paediatric hospital at the Mater site, Dublin. [26730/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the comparative specifications of the new paediatric hospital on the Mater site, Dublin, in comparison to the three combined existing paediatric hospitals, in relation to family rooms and wards, public and private beds, consulting rooms, observation rooms, theatres, accident and emergency, intensive care units, outpatients, kitchens, canteens, open space and grounds, staff and visitor car-parking, administration and offices and other aspects of modern day hospitals. [26732/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 227 together.

Work done originally on the proposed activity for the new hospital and an ambulatory and urgent care centre was undertaken by international health service consultants, RKW, in 2007. These projections were further developed by health service planning experts working for the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board in consultation with the hospitals and the HSE throughout 2008 and 2009. Projected activity for both facilities was further reviewed and agreed with the HSE 2010. These projections take into account an expected 16.2% increase in child population growth up to 2021 (CSO projections) and reflect international and best practice trends in acute paediatric healthcare, especially in relation to increased ambulatory care (day care and out-patient care) with less reliance on in-patient care to treat children.

Projected activity for 2021 for in-patient care is 27,542 discharges, and on this basis it is planned to provide 392 in-patient beds in the hospital on the Eccles Street site. Ambulatory care (day care and out-patient services) will be provided in both the hospital and the ambulatory and urgent care centre at Tallaght. The projected activity for day care for 2021 is 28,303 discharges, and on this basis it is planned to provide 81 day care beds (53 in the hospital and 28 in the A&UCC at Tallaght). Out-patient activity is projected for 2021 is 202,836 attendances, and on this basis it is planned to provide 84 consulting examination rooms (58 in the hospital and 26 in the A&UCC at Tallaght). There are a total of 20 operating theatres/procedure rooms proposed for the hospital and ambulatory and urgent care centre to accommodate all in-patient and day care procedure requirements.

The workforce plan for the hospital and ambulatory and urgent care centre is being developed at present. The new hospital is being designed to meet the future acute healthcare requirements for children and young people. Direct comparisons with facilities built in the two previous centuries are not appropriate or helpful. The new hospital, which will be a specialist paediatric tertiary centre on one site, and the ambulatory and urgent care centre at Tallaght are being designed to accommodate a new National Model of Care for paediatric healthcare, to reflect international trends in the delivery of services with its growing emphasis on ambulatory care and to incorporate the latest advances in medical technology and ICT. Children and families are directly involved in the hospital design to ensure it is child-centred and family-focused. Extensive engagement with the staff in the existing hospitals is also taking place in the design development process. All the facilities mentioned in the Deputy's question are planned for inclusion in the new hospital.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on whether the 2014 completion date for the opening of the national paediatric hospital is realistic in view of the fact that no planning permission has been sought to date. [26731/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Applications for planning permission are to be made by the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board in July and August 2010 for the hospital at Eccles Street and in the 4th quarter of 2010 for the Ambulatory and Urgent Care Centre at Tallaght. This follows on from a comprehensive process of stakeholder consultation planning and design by the Board. The Development Board, in projecting the project timelines for construction and commissioning of the hospital including operational readiness by the end of 2014, has taken into account an estimated time period for processing planning applications.