Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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696. To ask the Minister for Health with regard to the proposed national children’s hospital, the proposed timeline for completion of the hospital at St. James, and the proposed timeline for completion at the Connolly site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13158/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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There is no formal timeline for completion of the new children's hospital at a site on or adjacent to the Connolly Hospital campus, as no such project is planned. However, an estimate of the timeline can be arrived at by considering the work required in order to obtain planning approval at the suggested location. That would include, at a minimum, revision and updating of the Project Brief to take account of the new site, procurement of a new design team, design development for the new site, submission of the planning application and consideration of the application by the An Bord Pleanála.

Based on the experience with this very large and complex project at both the original site on the Mater campus, and the site on the St James's campus for which planning permission has now been received, it can be estimated that this work would take approximately three to four years from now, with construction beginning in 2019 or 2020.

In relation to the timeline for the St James's campus, planning permission was received on 28 April last, and it is intended to begin enabling works in the coming weeks. Construction will be completed in 2020, a four year construction plan.

The previous Government's decision to locate the new children's hospital at the St James's campus was based on the overriding priority of best clinical outcomes for our children and, in particular, the sickest of these. That decision is unequivocally supported by this Government and by me as Minister. I am delighted that planning permission for the project has now been secured, enabling construction of these vital new facilities to begin as planned.