This Government is committed to driving improvements across maternity services including continued investment in the Rotunda Hospital. This includes ongoing capital developments at the site to manage the current and future needs of women and babies. Co-location of maternity hospitals with acute adult hospitals is recognised as international best practice as it provides mothers with access to a full range of medical and support services, which is paramount for high-risk mothers and babies.
The priority is to ensure the delivery of appropriate neonatal capacity for the Rotunda as quickly as possible. The time required to relocate the Rotunda would far exceed the delivery time of the proposed new Critical Care Wing.
I and officials in my Department are working with the Master of the Rotunda and the HSE to consider all available options following the disappointing decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála to refuse planning permission for this project.
I will continue to work with the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers TD, to ensure that health infrastructure is fully recognised as critical infrastructure within the forthcoming reforms arising from the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan.
