Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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698. To ask the Minister for Health when a final reply will issue to his interim reply regarding persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1456/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Government's decision to locate the new children’s hospital on the St. James’s hospital campus was based on the over-riding priority of best clinical outcomes for our children, and in particular the sickest of these.

It is important to recognise the benefits of co-location with St James's Hospital. St. James's Hospital and the new children's hospital are both model 4 hospitals. St James's Hospital has the widest range of sub-specialities and the highest level of clinical complexity of all the adult hospitals in the country. The skill and expertise of the clinical staff in the co-located new children's hospital and St James's Hospital match appropriately, and these shared skills and expertise are precisely what is required for the care of the most complex and life-threatening conditions with which children from all over Ireland will present to the new children's hospital. By bringing together the full spectrum of sub-specialities in paediatric and neonatology on a single campus, the degree of critical mass can be attained that will support the more complex treatment and care for the sickest children and young people of Ireland.

The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) is the statutory body responsible for planning, designing, building and equipping the new children's hospital. On 10 August 2015 the NPHDB submitted a planning application for the new hospital and satellite centres to An Bord Pleanála.

The oral hearing process began on 30 November and heard submissions from key stakeholders and interested parties, including the Jack and Jill Foundation, before concluding on 15 December. An Bord Pleanála will consider all of the evidence presented and I look forward to the planning decision which is expected in February.

A final reply to the Deputy has issued on this matter.