HSE tells hospital critics to stop playing politics

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has urged critics of its plan to put the proposed national children's hospital on the Mater hospital site in Dublin to stop playing politics and concentrate on developing the service.

In a statement yesterday the HSE called on "all those who are truly dedicated to the delivery of a world class service for sick children to put aside their sectoral and geographic preferences and commit to ensuring the new hospital is built as soon as possible".

The comments came as the HSE strongly denied reports yesterday that children could not be airlifted by helicopter to the new €500 million hospital.

Newspaper reports yesterday maintained that there could be no helipad at the site due to air traffic restrictions relating to Mountjoy Prison. In its statement the HSE said these claims were "simply wrong".

HSE sources said the Mater hospital had provided the necessary assurances from the Irish Aviation Authority and the Department of Justice on helicopter access to the task force which recommended the location of the new facility.

They also said Mountjoy Prison was due to move to a site in north Dublin within years.

"The new children's hospital will have a helipad on the campus to enable emergency airlifting of children to the hospital. This was one of many factors addressed during the comprehensive process of choosing a site for the new national hospital.

"While many people may see fit to make groundless allegations and others may choose to print them, the HSE has provided a detailed and convincing explanation for the choice of this site for the new hospital and this is published on our website," it stated.

Last Thursday the Cabinet rejected calls from two Dublin hospitals for a review of the HSE decision to recommend the Mater site. In a statement on Thursday the Government said it "strongly endorsed the recommendation" that the children's facility be developed as an independent hospital on a site to be made available by the Mater.

Last week St James's Hospital and Our Lady's hospital in Crumlin criticised the selection process. In letters to Minister for Health Mary Harney last week St James's Hospital said the process was "fatally flawed".