Harney welcomes hospital’s ‘ambitious and impressive’ funding plan

A DECISION by one of the State’s oldest maternity hospitals to seek half of the €120 million needed to build a new healthcare campus from private sources has been welcomed by the Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney.

The Rotunda Hospital has already had preliminary discussions with the Department of Health on its plan to develop its 4.5-acre site in Parnell Square. The hospital wants the State to provide 50% of the cost, with the balance coming from private sources.

“Clearly, it is an ambitious and impressive plan but it has to be rigorously assessed on the same basis as any other project,” Ms Harney said yesterday.