CHAIRMAN OF the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board Harry Crosbie has been criticised for openly advocating that the hospital should still be built on the Mater site in Dublin while the matter is under review.
Dr Roisin Healy, of the lobby group New Children’s Hospital Alliance, told the Irish Medical News that Mr Crosbie was “doing his utmost to have it located on the Mater site”, as evidenced by his opinion article in The Irish Times.
Referring to the group set up by Minister for Health James Reilly, she said: “Until that review group reports and the Government makes its decision, the development board should not be seen to favour any one particular site.”
Dr Healy, a retired paediatrician, said that following An Bord Pleanála’s rejection of the proposed children’s hospital and the review group’s establishment, the board’s brief “no longer exists until the site is relocated or the Mater site is confirmed”.
Mr Crosbie endorsed plans by a consortium, comprising the Mater, Rotunda and Temple Street hospitals, to reduce the height and density of the scheme by reversing some of its elements into the original Mater Hospital building.
Dr Fin Breatnach, of the New Children’s Hospital Alliance, noted that this building was being used for day surgery procedures “and I don’t know whether or not alternative arrangements are being made for the adult patients”.
Local resident Pauline Cadell, who has been monitoring developments on the Mater site for years, said there was “no provision for day surgery” in the new adult hospital block, which is due to open in phases starting, from next month, with accident and emergency.
The latest scheme, and at least 15 alternative proposals, are being examined by the review group which is headed by former HSE chairman Frank Dolphin.
