Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will engage with the Northern Ireland Minister for Health in respect of the maximising the utility of the planned National Children's Hospital; if he will use the Altnagelvin Radiotherapy Unit model as a basis for such engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4327/13]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider providing an opportunity for paediatrics specialists to meet with their Northern Ireland counterparts, to discuss potential mutual arrangements for shared services at the planned new Children's Hospital [4358/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 710 and 717 together.

There is ongoing cooperation between my Department and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland. In this regard, one service that is actively being progressed at present is paediatric congenital cardiac surgery. There have been a number of meetings and teleconferences between the Department of Health and the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety, the Health Service Executive (HSE) and Northern Ireland Commissioning Services and Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin, and contacts are continuing with a view to determining as soon as possible how best an all-island service might be established and how soon this could be realised if it is determined, through consultation, to be the optimum solution. A project team has also been established, comprising of the HSE, Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin and the Department of Health, to address potential service issues and requirements. Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin, Dublin 12 has since 2009 been assisting the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in providing Paediatric Congenital Cardiac Surgery Services to patients from Northern Ireland. Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin cared for 9 such patients in 2011 and 28 in 2012.

I am considering how the new children's hospital might best contribute to an all-island health service for children. I have discussed this possibility with my colleague Minister Poots and further discussions have been held between our respective Departments in this regard. I am seeking to ensure the involvement of Northern Ireland members in the governance arrangements for both the building of the new hospital and the board which needs to be set up to help govern the existing Dublin children's hospitals and the new hospital in the longer term. I will consider what the model used in the Altnagelvin development can contribute in this regard.

I am very much committed to working together with my Northern colleagues on issues of common concern and benefit. This is of particular relevance in the current time when both jurisdictions are implementing change and pushing forward health reform. Terms of Reference for engagement between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland on acute hospital issues are expected to be agreed shortly.