Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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878. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the development of the new National Children's Hospital in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1452/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) is the body responsible for the planning, design, building and equipping of the new children's hospital. capital project. The project is currently in the design procurement stage with a design team expected to be appointed at the end of March. In the interim, the Design Brief is being finalised.

The aim is to submit a planning application by September 2014, and pre-application planning discussions have already taken place. A planning decision is expected in Spring 2015 and construction is scheduled to commence also in Spring 2015. The site decant will take place during 2014 and a Decant Plan is now being finalised with the aim of ensuring the site is vacated by the end of 2014. Transition of services to the new children's hospital is expected to commence at the end of 2018.

In parallel with the construction of the new children's hospital, the operational integration of the three existing children's hospitals is of critical importance in ensuring that the new hospital functions effectively from the outset. A Children's Hospital Group involving the three hospitals has been established, the core function of which is to integrate the three children's hospitals staff and service provision, well in advance of the new hospital being built. A Chair and Board members were appointed in August last year, and in November the CEO of the Group took up post and will play a key role in driving forward the necessary integration.