Minister for Health James Reilly has appointed an architect, two planners, a number of senior doctors and a British hospital executive to the group examining the decision to refuse planning permission for the new national children’s hospital.
The group, which is to be chaired by former HSE chairman Frank Dolphin has been asked to report back within 56 days.
Among those appointed to the group today were town planner Simon Clear, a former senior inspector with An Bord Pleanála and John Martin, who recently retired as principal planning advisor to the Department of the Environment.
Senior architect Michael Collins who is a former president of the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland has also been appointed to the group by the Minister. He founded the practice, MCA, in 1988 and has been involved in a number of hospital projects.
The new group also includes consultant paediatric haematologist at Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin, Prof Owen Smith. He is also professor of childhood blood disorders at Trinity College Dublin.
A number of paediatrician from hospitals outside of Dublin have also been appointed to the group.
These include Dr Jonathan Hourihane, professor of paediatrics and child health at University College Cork, consultant paediatrician, Professor BJ Loftus who is dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences at NUI Galway and consultant paediatrician Dr Clodagh O’Gorman who is professor of paediatrics at the University of Limerick.
In its terms of reference, the group has been asked to consider the different options which now exist for progressing the construction of a national children’s hospital having regard to:
- Government policy on the delivery of health services, including accessibility and paediatric services in particular and best clinical practice considerations,
- the cost and value for money considerations of the different options,
- the likely timelines associated with the different options
