The New Children’s Hospital Alliance (NCHA) welcomes the decision 23/02/2012, of An Bord Pleanála to refuse permission for the proposed development of the National Paediatric Hospital at the Mater site. NCHA considers this decision ends the discussion of the Mater site as an option. Alternative sites must now be considered.
In view of the current public debate prioritising co-location with an adult hospital, and claims of there being expert Reviews endorsing the Mater as the best site for the Children’s hospital, the following is requested:- that Professor Brendan Drumm, ex-CEO of the HSE and current member of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board provide the following information to the public:-
The definition of co-location, the name of each co-location/Mater endorsing Review Group, its commissioning body, its members and their professional affiliation, its terms of reference, methodology, scoring systems used for comparing sites, names of sites considered, results, recommendations and date of final report.
It should be possible to assemble this information within the next five days. We anticipate that any national newspaper would accommodate such a publication thus making this data easily accessible to citizens.
NCHA will comment further when such information is to hand.
NCHA wishes also to request that the new Department of Children, given its advocacy role for children, partner the Department of Health in all future deliberations. Members of the Review Teams to be appointed should not have been involved in the previous decision making. The hospital must not be downsized.
NCHA congratulates the Government on its continued commitment to build the National Paediatric Hospital.
End.

Media contact information www.thenewchildrenshospital.ie
Dr. Fin Breatnach 087 2569138,Emall: finbabe@indigo.ie
Dr Roisin Healy 086 6020601, Email:  drroisinhealy@gmail.ie
Mr.Ray Martin 086 2556599(parent, Dublin)
Ms. Ciara Gilmour 086 1909617-evenings (parent, Donegal)