Babies put at risk over hospital building problems

Premature babies born at a maternity hospital were put at needless “clinical risk” because of serious building problems linked to a delayed upgrade of the facility.

The neonatal intensive care unit at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles St, Dublin, had to be evacuated last autumn due to a leak in the wall of the 119-year-old structure.

The risk to some newborns was revealed in the recorded minutes of board meetings.