Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for Health his proposals in the long term to assist the parents of premature babies in neonatal intensive care units who face separation from their child if they cannot afford to pay for private temporary accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1219/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Of the total of 445 beds in the new children's hospital, 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 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 the 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. Provision for accommodation for parents and families of children who require longer-term admission to the hospital will be provided in a facility directly adjacent to the new hospital. The HSE tries to maximise the availability of accommodation for parents of premature babies in neonatal intensive care units in existing hospitals. The priority for the HSE and acute hospitals is to ensure the most appropriate and safe treatment is provided to infants in the most appropriate location and as close to home as possible and that the families of such infants are provided with appropriate information and support. This includes the provision of dedicated and direct telephone access to the units treating the infants. The Deputy will be aware that there are proposals to move a number of maternity hospitals from stand-alone sites to sites adjacent to adult teaching hospitals. The issue of providing parental accommodation will be considered as these proposals are further developed.