A recommendation on which site in Dublin should be chosen for the construction of a new national children's hospital is expected to be considered by the board of the Health Service Executive when it meets today, writes Eithne Donnellan, Health Correspondent
Informed sources said last night that the new hospital will be built on the northside of the city.
However, it is understood a site at Grangegorman, not far from the Mater hospital, which was originally believed to be in line for the development, has now been ruled out of contention.
The new hospital is expected to be co-located with an adult teaching hospital and, on this basis, the likely contenders would be the campuses of the Mater or Beaumont hospitals or even that of Connolly hospital in Blanchardstown.
The Forrest Little Golf Club in north Dublin also proposes that the new hospital should be developed on land near Dublin airport.
Up to five private-sector groups have expressed interest in the development of the new 400-bed hospital, and it is expected that the private sector will have a role in building it. The developer Noel Smyth said in recent months he would be prepared to build it on a site close to the M50 in south Dublin or any other site proposed by the Government.
The plan to build a new national children's hospital was announced by the HSE at the beginning of February, following the publication of a consultants' report on paediatric services. That report said there should be one major children's hospital in the State, it should be in Dublin, and it should be adjacent to an adult hospital. It also said that the site chosen should also have space for future expansion and be easily accessible by public transport.
A taskforce representative of the Department of Health, the HSE and the Office of Public Works was then established to decide where it should be located. It was meant to report back after two months but, in April, the HSE said the deadline for the group's work had been extended to give it time to consider the possible co-location of maternity services on the site also, for high-risk obstetric or neonatal cases.
The taskforce's final recommendation on where the hospital should be sited is due to be considered by the board of the HSE today. The decision of the HSE board is then expected to be considered by the Cabinet before a formal announcement on the location is made.
Meanwhile, the board of the HSE is also expected today to consider a report on acute hospital services in the northeast.