Sir, – Thank God the preservation of Dublin’s skyline is safe in the hands of the brave and circumspect men and women of An Bord Pleanála, who have rejected plans for a new children’s hospital (Breaking News, February 23rd). Otherwise we could end up like New York or London which would not be consistent with the City Council’s Development Plan at all, at all! Sure the childer can always go to England, for treatment, where they already have lots of ugly tall buildings.
The little republic is saved again, just in time, after six years of careful planning and review! – Yours, etc,
Sir, – After years of consultation, goodness knows how many millions of euros in planning, political wrangling, the decision has been made by An Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission for the development of the much-needed national children’s hospital. This in the week when we learn that the waiting times on trolleys in children’s hospitals are beyond ridiculous – and totally unacceptable in the 21st century.
The development was refused due to overdevelopment of the Mater site and would result in a “dominant, visually incongruous structure and would have a profound negative impact on the appearance and visual amenity of the city skyline”. (And yet the Spire was allowed to be constructed!). Do parents of sick children rushing into hospital with them really care how the outside of the hospital looks? Surely An Bord Pleanála should have rejected it earlier so that money would not be wasted unnecessarily, and another site could have been chosen. This money that has been wasted could have been used to improve the current children’s hospitals.
Sadly, with all the political wrangling and inhouse fighting, people forget that there are sick children all over the country waiting for treatment that they should be having straight away. This decision should have been made years ago. Because of the delay, this project has been set back at least another 10 years.
Ireland needs to wake up and decide on a site where there is room for expansion in the future. We have one shot to build a national children’s hospital to rival anywhere in the world and be proud of. – Yours, etc,