THE STALLED National Children’s Hospital project will be discussed by government ministers this morning, when they meet for their weekly cabinet meeting.
The ministers are due to agree on the terms of reference for a review group which will be asked to offer advice on the project, for which planning permission was turned down two weeks ago.
An Bord Pleanála refused permission for the 16-storey construction on the site of the Mater Hospital, saying it would have an impact on the skyline of the area as well as constituting overdevelopment of the Mater site.
The review group, to be chaired by HSE chairman Dr Frank Dolphin, is to be asked to examine this decision, and make urgent commendations on the next steps to proceed with the hospital.
Health minister James Reilly, addressing an Oireachtas committee on the day that the planning decision was confirmed, said the group would act “with great urgency and immediacy” to ensure that children received the appropriate treatment.
He yesterday told the Irish Times’ Barry Halloran that although the government was committed to the project, it was not insistent on the Mater site, saying ministers were keeping an open mind to alternative sites.
This is despite Reilly himself backing the Mater location after it was recommended by a separate expert group last year.
A submission made to Reilly last week outlined that the hospital should be built on the site of the Coombe.
The hospital board has said it remained committed to working with the review group, having last week affirmed that its role was to implement government policy.
The €650 million project was due to commence construction later this year.
RTÉ separately reports that this morning’s meeting – as well as being set to discuss the timing of the fiscal compact referendum – will sign off on plans to roll out high-speed broadband to all secondary schools, as announced by Pat Rabbitte last month.
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