Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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724. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the proposed move of the National Maternity Hospital, currently located at Holles Street in Dublin 2, to a new building on the grounds of St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin 4; when it is anticipated that construction will start and when the new facility will be open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12155/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The proposed redevelopment of the National Maternity Hospital on the campus of St Vincent's hospital is one of the Government's major capital health projects. The project will deliver a modern, state-of-the-art hospital for mothers and babies. Co-location at St Vincent's, allows for optimal care for mothers, and particularly those at high-risk, by ensuring access to the range of medical and surgical specialties that they may require.

The project is progressing well. Design Stage 1 (preliminary design) was completed in December 2014 and the project has now proceeded to Stage 2a – Scheme Design. Thus the formal detailed design of the development is now underway. It is anticipated that a Strategic Infrastructure Development planning application will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála in Q4 2015. Assuming no planning difficulties, building is tentatively expected to commence in 2016. The development will be built on a phased basis and will, it is hoped, be substantially complete by late 2019.