Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
681. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when new facilities and upgraded accommodation will be provided at a health care centre (details supplied) in view of the longstanding commitment to undertake such works; if much needed improvement works and adequate accommodation will be provided at the existing site, or if it is still proposed to co-locate with another health care facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13951/26]
View answerThis Government is committed to driving improvements across maternity services including continued investment in the Rotunda Hospital.
I have expressed my deep disappointment at the decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) to overturn the position of Dublin City Council and refuse planning permission for the proposed Critical Care Wing at the Rotunda Hospital.
As one of the busiest maternity hospitals in Europe, it is our priority to provide the highest possible standard of care at the Rotunda campus. This will entail ongoing capital developments at the site to manage the current and future needs of women and babies.
The planned new Critical Care Wing at Parnell Square West is necessary to provide essential upgrades to the Rotunda site. These include additional NICU capacity, single room beds, and a new theatre. The time needed to co-locate the Rotunda with another acute adult hospital would by far exceed the delivery time of this new critical care unit, which is needed now.
In order to successfully relocate the Rotunda a strategic reassessment of the prevailing conditions and factors that impact the project at the time of the planned relocation would need to be carried out. This would also need to be viewed in the wider context of all the hospitals in the region, including Connolly Hospital. The Rotunda is at present working closing with the Mater hospital, a model 4 hospital that is located nearby. It has a protected blue light corridor to provide adult acute services should the need arise.
In August 2025, Dublin City Council issued its Notification of Decision to Grant Permission for the development. At the end of August, the Council’s decision was appealed to ACP. On 12 February 2026, the decision was received from ACP to refuse permission for the Critical Care Wing proposal.
Our priority now is to ensure the delivery of appropriate expansion at the Rotunda as quickly as possible. I will be meeting with the Master of the Rotunda, Sean Daly, once he has had an opportunity to consider all options available to him as the planning applicant. I will continue to work closely with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, to ensure that health infrastructure is fully recognised as critical infrastructure within the forthcoming reforms arising from the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan.
