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New Children's Hospital
The I.H.S. are delighted to inform you that planning permission was granted on 28th April 2016, for the new children’s hospital project. The project will bring together the three existing children's hospitals (Temple Street Children's University Hospital, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin and the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght). There has been much controversy in relation to the suitability of the site. An Bord Pleanála has granted permission, subject to 17 conditions. No major changes have been sought on the original planning application. Chief Executive Ms. Eilísh Hardiman of the Children’s Hospital Group said: "This truly is a watershed day for children, young people and their families. These buildings are a significant catalyst for how the new national model of care will be delivered. We are now firmly on our way to making this long awaited children’s hospital a reality." It is expected construction will start this summer with the hospital opening in 2020. The project has been described as "the most significant capital investment project ever undertaken in healthcare in Ireland". Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Ms Hardiman said two satellite centres - at Tallaght and Connolly Hospitals - should be ready by 2018. She added that the approval marked a "fantastic day and a great day for children. We are one step closer to this fantastic building that they deserve and have been waiting a long time for. So today is a day whereby we are going to celebrate the many years of planning that our staff and the families and the children and our neighbours here at the campus have put into this building." The building will be seven storeys high in places with 380 single in-patient rooms, 42 beds in a critical care unit and 18 neonatal critical care units.
Debbie Greene
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