Government to consider 'all options' to open hospital wing for women and children

Rotunda project would have provided for 80 extra hospital beds, alongside a new theatre and connection to the existing entrance and main hospital buildings. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Government will consider “all options” to get a wing of the Rotunda Hospital for care of critically ill women and children back on track, the Tánaiste has said.

Simon Harris said he is angry at the decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála to refuse planning permission for the €100m wing of the hospital, after Dublin City Council previously gave the project the go-ahead.

The project would have provided for 80 extra hospital beds, alongside a new theatre and connection to the existing entrance and main hospital buildings.

It had been the subject of objections from the Dublin Civic Trust and an individual. An Coimisiún Pleanála rejected the recommendation of its planning inspector to give planning permission.

Mr Harris said he was “beyond disappointed” with the decision.

“I’m angry in relation to this. I think that’s the Government’s overall sense too, because let's not talk about this in an abstract. This is about premature babies,” Mr Harris said.

“it’s about them and their mums and it's about providing them with infrastructure.” 

Mr Harris said there cannot be a situation where there is “clinical risk”. 

The Government will “look at all of the options here to get this project back on track”.

Mr Harris said just because organisations have a right to place submissions objecting to projects, they should not feel obligated to do so.

“There are some things called the public good. There are some things more important than other things and the lives, the safety, and the wellbeing of vulnerable young babies, I can think of nothing more important.” 

Returns on savings

The Fine Gael leader was speaking on RTÉ Radio’s This Week, where he was also questioned about his plans to improve people’s returns on their savings.

Mr Harris told the Fine Gael parliamentary party last week that he wanted to see “proper” investment opportunities for everyone, adding that there are not enough currently.

Asked about his plans, the finance minister said he intended to publish a “framework” on savings and investment in the weeks ahead.

He cited the likes of Sweden, Canada, and the UK, giving an example of a savings account where an individual either plays a lower rate of tax or no tax at all.

“There’s a huge opportunity here to help build up economic resilience, not just in the country but actually in families as well,” Mr Harris said.

Asked if this would “enshrine inequality”, Mr Harris said he did not believe so. “The only people who can actually make a bit of money on their investments are the uber wealthy. I want the middle classes to have an opportunity here,” he said.

“I want the squeezed middle, who are putting money in the post office or the credit union or the bank account to actually make money and not lose money.”