‘We must pull together on issue of children’s health’

The National Children’s Hospital is possibly the most important project to be developed in Ireland for the next 50 years and we have a responsibility to our children and future generations to get it right.

The hospital has the capability of changing how we look at and deliver children’s medicine. It could ultimately lead to Ireland being recognised as the paediatric care centre of Europe, but the priority is the provision of a high standard of care for our most valuable resource — our children.

Such a development would ensure future generations benefit from the sacrifices of previous generations and ensure the primary objective in our new Ireland is excellence in healthcare for our children.

Compared with Britain, the US and most countries in Europe, we are a young country.

We made huge mistakes through the Celtic Tiger era, wasting money and blowing countless opportunities — although lessons have been learned.

For me, one of these is the need to incentivise everyone to pull together on the issue of healthcare for children and in particular a national children’s hospital.

Pointing the finger will not build the hospital.

While I was disappoint- ed with the minister’s decision to proceed with the Mater site, I applaud- ed his absolute courage and conviction that he would try and get the hospital built as quickly as possible and, within months of taking office, he made a bold decision.

When decisions go against one, new decisions can be made to correct and push progress forward, the real crime is no decision.

I am confident that James Reilly will make such decisions as he sees appropriate to ensure that we get a new children’s hospital as quickly as possible and in the location that he believes will deliver the best result for the Irish children.

I am confident that the consultants in Crumlin and the other children’s hospitals, the Coombe Maternity Hospital with whom our group had discussions, and various other groups will do all in their power to support Dr Reilly in endeavouring to deliver what I believe he has committed to do.

While our group continues to propose an independent charitable trust to develop and own the hospital, we also believe it should have the following features:

* Co-located with a maternity hospital.

* Built on a not-for-profit basis.

* Built on a greenfield site with surface car parking.

* Accessible to the M50 and public transport.

* Chosen from a number of possible locations fulfilling this criteria.

* Built as speedily as circumstances allow, utilising all of the information which will be invaluable in terms of saving time and money going forward.

Our team and many other professionals stand shoulder to shoulder with parents and patient groups ready and willing to serve.

* Noel Smyth led a consortium which wished to build the hospital and he had offered a greenfield site for the facility at Newlands Cross.