merrion street

Minister of State for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy, Catherine Byrne TD, has today (Wednesday) welcomed the announcement by her colleague the Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, that Government has given the green light for the €1bn new children’s hospital.

Today the Government approved the investment required to enable the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board to award the construction contracts for the building of the main children’s hospital on the St James’s Hospital campus and the two Paediatric Outpatients and Urgent Care Centres on the Tallaght and Connolly Hospitals campuses.

Minister Byrne said “This is fantastic news and the decision means that this vital project can now proceed without delay, to the benefit of all children in Ireland. I understand that site clearance work, which began last year, is almost complete and building works will start in the next few weeks.”

Minister Byrne, who is a local TD to the new children’s hospital, said; “The new hospital is one of the most exciting projects to come to the Dublin 8 area in a long time. It will bring a boost to the local economy and will provide opportunities for local employment. The NPHDB have been very clear from the outset that it is committed to being a good neighbour and to ensuring that there is local benefit from this fantastic development. We have all waited a long time for this new hospital and I am delighted that we are now at construction stage. I would like to thank all of those who have worked so hard on this project.”