‘Important to get it right’

A group that had always argued against the geogra- phically constrained Mater site welcomed the decision by Bord Pleanála.

The New Children’s Hospital Alliance, a group of health professionals, parents and other interested persons, also argued that traffic in the area would create major access problems.

Alliance member Dr Finn Breathnach, a retired paediatric consultant oncologist, said they were disappointed that their concerns about the “woefully inadequate” Mater site had not been addressed by the project development board.

“It appears that the project will not now go ahead on the Mater site and it does afford us with an opportunity to come up with a plan that will give our children the best possible hospital,” said Dr Breathnach.

He understood that many people were disappointed that despite their best efforts and commitment the site was deemed inappropriate.

“We don’t build children’s hospitals in this country too often. The last standalone children’s hospital was Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, which was built 58 years ago,” he said.

“Given we expect our hospitals to last for a very long period of time, I think it is far more important to get it right and have a hospital that will be able to meet the needs of our children for the next 50 or 60 years.”

Asked where was the right place for the hospital, Dr Breathnach said he wished he knew. He said there were many sites available in the post-Celtic Tiger era and there was an opportunity now for the experts to come up with a plan.

Chief executive and founder of the Jack and Jill Foundation, Jonathan Irwin, said the Mater was always the wrong site and said there were plenty of options around the M50 motorway.

He also urged the minister and the HSE to create a national paediatric home nursing care budget.

Mr Irwin said the absence of a national budget to keep sick children cared for at home where possible did not make sense and was reflected in dangerous overcrowding in the children’s hospitals.