Planning Permission Expected To Be Lodged For New Children's Hospital

Planning permission expected to be lodged for new children's hospital

The Health Minister says he expects objections to the planning application for the National Children's Hospital, but says there is also huge support for the project. The plans are being lodged to An Bord Pleanala today, proposing all three existing hospitals in Crumlin, Tallaght and Temple Street be located at one campus at St James's Hospital in Dublin City Centre. Leo Varadkar says it will be a world class facility, and if the application is accepted it could be open by 2019. There has been opposition from some groups about the location and parking facilities at the new hospital, but Minister Varadkar says the current plan is the right one. "There's objections to somebody putting an extension on to their house, so I've no doubt there will be objections - and there would be no matter where it was located" he said. "There's also a huge amount of support behind it". "There's a great new website - www.childrenshospital.ie - and you'll see parents, patients, staff members from the existing hospitals, people from Heart Children Ireland, people from other groups...who are very much supporting this" he added.