The new national children's hospital should have capacity for up to 454 beds and enough room for up to 20 operating theatres, according to a framework document released by the Health Service Executive today.
The controversial hospital, to be located on a 6.15 acre site at the Mater hospital in Dublin, will encompass the three children's hospitals in Dublin - the Adelaide and Meath and National children's hospital at Tallaght; the Children's University Hospital at Temple Street, and Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin.
The HSE's final framework document, presented to the development board of the planned hospital today, also includes provision for three urgent care centres to provide secondary services to the Greater Dublin region.
Initially there should be an urgent care day facility for children attending Tallaght hospital, which would deal with minor injuries, fevers and asthma cases.
If there is sufficient demand for this service, it will be followed by a consultant-led centre at Connolly hospital in Blanchardstown and then St Columcille's Hospital in Loughlinstown.
The framework document, which sets out possible bed, facility, space requirements and plans for an academic centre on site, will inform the preparation of the design brief of the new hospital, according to the HSE.
The brief considered the demand for care that the hospital and the ambulatory care centres would need to meet. Among other topics, it addresses the question of bed numbers and types; family friendly facilities such as play areas and the issue of operating theatres and procedure rooms
HSE chief executive, Professor Brendan Drumm said: "We're now another step closer to the creation of a national network of care for all children that can consistently deliver the best possible results and a world class centre of excellence which will become a destination of choice for the world's leading paediatric clinicians, educators and researchers."