Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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165. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether the proposed new National Children’s Hospital will be able to cope with the existing surrounding gridlock; his further views on whether major emergencies can be dealt with in an appropriate manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3672/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The planning application to build the new children’s hospital on the St. James’s Campus included a traffic management and traffic mobility plan for the construction and operational phase which was endorsed by the National Transport Authority and Dublin City Council. A 10-day oral hearing took place in December 2015 in which traffic evidence was presented in detail and allowed for cross questioning by those who had concerns. On 28 April 2016, An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for the new children’s hospital on the campus shared with St. James’s Hospital and for satellite urgent care centres on the campuses of Tallaght and Connolly Hospital without change to the proposed traffic and mobility plan.

An Bord Pleanála's inspector's report, which includes assessment and recommendations in relation to traffic impact at construction and operational stages, can be found at www.pleanala.ie/documents/reports/PA0/RPA0043.pdf .

In relation to the specific query raised on management of major emergencies, as this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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166. To ask the Minister for Health the helipad services that will be available at the new National Children’s Hospital; if there will be no ground based helipad at the site; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a significant number of Coast Guard helicopters can only land on ground based helipads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3673/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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There will be an elevated helipad at the new children's hospital, which will have direct and rapid access to the critical care, theatre and emergency departments within the hospital. This enhanced direct and rapid access will improve clinical outcomes for the sickest children and young people.

The Air Corps is the primary provider of paediatric helicopter services to the National Ambulance Service. Air Corps helicopters comprising Augusta Westland AW139 can land on a raised landing site or the roof of a building which is designed and certified for such operations. The Irish Coast Guard provides reserve support to the National Ambulance Service, when required, through its Sikorsky S92 search and rescue fleet primarily for search and rescue missions. The Sikorsky S92 helicopters are not licensed to land on helipads and, for access to the St. James's Campus, would land in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham from which patients would be transferred in an ambulance by road, which is current practice.

The majority of patient transfers to the three Dublin children’s hospitals are completed by road. In any major emergency rescue in a rural area, a Sikorsky Helicopter will bring the patient to the nearest regional hospital for stabilisation resulting in an appropriately planned transfer to the new children’s hospital.