Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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281. To ask the Minister for Health if the new national children's hospital will treat children up to 16 years of age or up to 18 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4821/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The HSE National Model of Care for Paediatric Healthcare Services in Ireland states that there should be a cut-off age for admission to paediatric services and this age should be 16 years. It is also policy among the three children's hospitals in the Children's Hospital Group that they see children up to the eve of their 16th birthday. However, there can be occasions when a patient, for clinical reasons, will be seen past their 16th birthday and may not transition to an adult services until they are 18 years old.

It is intended that this policy will continue when the three hospitals merge into one at the new children's hospital and satellites centres. New admissions will include children and young people up to the eve of their 16th birthday. However, readmissions will include young people up to the eve of their 18th birthday and/or where admission of a young person over the age of 16 years is considered clinically appropriate.