Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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520. To ask the Minister for Health his Department's current estimate for the relocation of the Rotunda Hospital to Blanchardstown; and the estimated costs of both the maternity hospital and any required upgrading to Connolly Hospital [9593/17]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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521. To ask the Minister for Health the current timeframe for the relocation of the Rotunda Hospital to Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown [9594/17]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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522. To ask the Minister for Health his Department's current estimate for the relocation of the Coombe Hospital to St James's Hospital; and the estimated costs of both the maternity hospital and any required upgrading to St James's Hospital. [9595/17]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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523. To ask the Minister for Health the current timeframe for the relocation of the Coombe Hospital to St James's Hospital [9596/17]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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524. To ask the Minister for Health his Department's current estimate for the relocation of Limerick maternity hospital to Dooradoyle; and the estimated costs of both the maternity hospital and any required upgrading to University Hospital Limerick [9597/17]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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525. To ask the Minister for Health the current timeframe for the relocation of Limerick maternity hospital to Dooradoyle [9598/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 520 to 525, inclusive, together.

The redevelopment of the Rotunda, Coombe Women and Infants and Limerick Maternity Hospital are three major infrastructure projects. The model of stand-alone maternity hospitals is not the norm internationally. Government policy is therefore to co-locate all remaining maternity hospitals with adult acute services in order to provide optimal clinical outcomes. Co-location of maternity services with adult services provides mothers with access to a full range of medical and support services should the need arise. Tri-location with paediatric services ensures immediate access on-site to paediatric services when foetal or neonatal surgery is required. The availability of these services helps ensure the delivery of an optimum, safe service, particularly for high risk mothers and babies.

The project to redevelop the National Maternity Hospital will progress to planning stage very shortly. The other three maternity hospital projects are at a very early development stage and it would be premature to provide any indicative time frames for completion, or cost estimates, at this point. Costs will of course differ from project to project and will be determined, in part, by any requirement to upgrade facilities at the host hospital.