HSE report may sound death knell for Temple St

3 February 2006

by Cllr Joe Costello

The HSE decision to concentrate paediatric surgery in one hospital appears to have sounded the death knell for Temple St Hospital, according to Labour’s Joe Costello.“The redevelopment of Temple St has been postponed a number of times over many years and this report means that the project has been put on hold again, probably for good,” said Deputy Costello. He added: “There’s huge concern that this spells the death knell for the Mater/ Temple St redevelopment.“The matter is in the Taoiseach’s court now. He should intervene directly and immediately.“€46 million has already been spent on getting the project to this stage, and now it looks like it’s money down the drain.“The project has got full planning permission and has gone to tender, but now it’s been stopped in its tracks.“The money for this project has already been made available under the National Development Plan. The fact that it has been halted at the eleventh hour is infuriating and frustrating for staff and patients alike,” said Deputy Costello.“Political manoeuvring within the Department of Health and Children and between the Tanaiste and the Taoiseach are at the heart of the bizarre decision to conduct a review of the paediatric services at the same time as the tendering process for the redevelopment of Temple St was in full swing.“The findings of the rushed report and the subsequent rumblings by Professor Drumm appear to have tilted the balance in favour of Tallaght Hospital, which is in the Tanaiste’s own constituency.“I will be raising this matter with both of them in the Dail as a matter of urgency.”