Children’s hospital plan ‘must proceed’

THE redevelopment of Crumlin Children's Hospital needs to proceed as soon as humanly possible, a parents' lobby group said last night after reports of an alternative to the Department of Health’s plan emerged.

The New Crumlin Hospital Group was responding to reports yesterday that a private consortium was finalising a proposal to redevelop the hospital on a greenfield site.

The department is already in the process of drawing up its own outline for the rebuilding of the hospital in its current location.

New Crumlin Hospital Group spokesman Karl Anderson said that while it would be open to examining the consortium's proposal, the group was currently committed to the department's plan.

“From our point of view, there is a plan in place - the (Health) minister's plan - and that is for the hospital to be redeveloped on the existing site by 2010,” he said.

“Our objective is to get the hospital built as quickly as possible. So if there was another proposal, it would have to get the hospital done sooner than the department's target date of 2010.

“Later than that - say 2012 - would be no use.”

According to reports yesterday, the consortium includes orthopaedic surgeon and businessman Jimmy Sheehan, one of the founders of Dublin's Blackrock Clinic.

Dr Sheehan was unavailable for comment.

But it is understood the consortium would look to build a new hospital from scratch on a greenfield site by means of a public-private partnership.

The department, meanwhile, is scheduled to complete its draft outline for the redevelopment by June.

Hospital management yesterday said they were working with the department to complete this outline.

“If any other proposals are brought to the attention of hospital management, they will be considered,” said chief executive Gerry O’Dwyer.

Either way, the redevelopment of the hospital is long overdue.