Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Health his plans to provide a neonatal unit and the relevant parental accommodation as part of the new National Children's Hospital due to open in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1218/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The new children's hospital is planned to accommodate a total of 445 beds (392 in-patient beds and 53 day care beds) to meet paediatric healthcare demands projected to 2021. The configuration of these beds reflects international and best practice trends in paediatric acute bed requirements, resulting in a higher allocation of both critical care and day care beds within the overall bed complement.

Of the total of 445 beds, 62 beds are to be allocated to Paediatric Intensive Care and High Dependency areas, representing a one-third increase in the number of critical care beds provided by the existing children's hospitals. This includes a dedicated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency beds and cardiac and neurosurgical critical care beds. Provision will also be made within the intensive care and high dependency areas for all necessary supports to be available to support the range of critical care functions.

Parental accommodation will be available nearby within the hospital for parents of children in the neonatal intensive care unit and children admitted to the other critical care units. This accommodation will be provided within a family overnight unit which will provide en-suite bedrooms with suitable support accommodation.

Dedicated facilities are also planned for children who require long-term ventilation but who no longer need critical care accommodation. Access to paediatric and neonatal critical care services will be supported by a centralised national transport and retrieval service based at the new children's hospital.