A review of the proposed sites for the development of maternity hospitals in Dublin was necessary following the Government's decision to develop the new children's hospital at the St James's campus, and the need to develop a maternity hospital on the same site.
All three Dublin maternity hospitals will at a future stage be located alongside major adult teaching hospitals, following the earlier decision to move the National Maternity Hospital from Holles Street to the campus at St Vincent's University Hospital.
-- Advertisement --
Coombe will be relocated to St James's and the Rotunda will move to the Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown site.
Minister Varadkar said: "While the Rotunda and the Coombe have served Dublin and the country well as standalone hospitals, current best practice is to co-locate maternity hospitals with adult acute hospitals. Both hospitals need significant capital investment, particularly the Rotunda, which is more than a century old in parts.
"Rebuilding these hospitals on new campus sites will be safer for mothers and will ensure access to a full range of specialised services like intensive care, cardiology and other specialties when needed, without necessitating patient transfer. Tri-location with paediatric services further enhances the clinical benefits for the sickest new-born babies for the same reasons.
"Today's announcement is clear evidence of the Government's commitment to improving and modernising maternity care in Ireland. We will now need to examine funding models so that we can deliver the new facilities as early as possible."
(CD/JP)
