Written answers
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Department of Health
Hospital Services
Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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1623. To ask the Minister for Health the percentage of blood tests for Letterkenny University Hospital that are outsourced; the cost of this outsourcing; if there is any plan to address the capacity issues that prevent all blood testing being done on site; the impact this is having on hospital services, GPs and surgeries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30602/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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1624. To ask the Minister for Health if it remains Government policy for the Rotunda Hospital to relocate to the Connolly Hospital campus in Blanchardstown; the timeline for this move; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30613/25]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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1626. To ask the Minister for Health if it remains Government policy for the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital to relocate to the St. James's Hospital campus, co-locating with the new national children's hospital; the timeline for this move; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30615/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1624 and 1626 together.
As referenced in the National Maternity Strategy, and in line with international best practice, it remains Government policy to co-locate all remaining standalone maternity hospitals with adult acute services.
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 specialist paediatric services.
In July 2023 Cabinet gave its approval for the new National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park, co-located with St Vincent’s University Hospital, to proceed to tender for a main contractor to construct the new hospital in line with EU and national requirements. The tender process, which began in September 2023, is now completed with tender evaluations ongoing.
The relocation projects for the remaining standalone maternity hospitals; University Maternity Hospital Limerick, the Coombe, and the Rotunda are all still at an early stage. All relocation project proposals are required to progress through a series of approval stages, in line with the Infrastructure Guidelines published in December 2023. The applicable timelines for all three of these projects have not yet been established.
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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1625. To ask the Minister for Health the expenditure to date that has been spent on the proposal to relocate the Rotunda Hospital to the Connolly Hospital campus in Blanchardstown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30614/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the management of the public healthcare estate, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.
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