A healthcare group has said it could build the proposed national paediatric hospital on a Greenfield site in Swords, Co Dublin, by as early as 2016 and for less than the €650 million allocated budget.
The Broadmeadow Healthcare Group has proposed a 50-acre site at Lissenhall as a location for the proposed children’s hospital after An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for the building of the hospital at the existing Mater hospital site in Dublin in February.
Speaking this morning Dr Reilly said the submission would be considered along with others by a review group appointed by the minister back in March:
“This is a matter for the review group with Dr [Frank] Dolphin, and all matters will be considered by them, and they’ll present a report to myself which I’ll bring to Cabinet, and Cabinet will take a view at that point,” he said.
Dr Reilly said that he expected the report from the review group by the end of May. The group is reviewing more than 15 sites, including the site at the Mater hospital.
An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for the proposal of a new children’s hospital for the Mater hospital site in Dublin in February on the grounds that its height, bulk, scale and mass would have a “profound negative impact” on Dublin’s skyline.
The Minister was speaking at the opening of a new €35 million 200-bed mental health and care facility for older people in the Highfield Healthcare, which provides specialist care to the elderly, in Whitehall, Dublin 9.
The facility consists of 100 mental health beds, 90 nursing home beds and a 10-bed unit, designed to provide acute adult psychiatric care, bringing the total number of beds being provided by Highfield Healthcare to 313.
Stephen Eustace, chief executive of Highfield Healthcare, said the new facility had created an extra 100 jobs, bringing the total workforce to 300, while close to 300 people were engaged in the construction of the facility.
“These purpose-built and designed facilities will meet the future needs of older people, especially those experiencing mental health problems, and we are fully committed to providing a top quality, person-centred service to all patients who spend their time here,” he said.