Reilly: Building new children's hospital the priority
Health Minister James Reilly has said his priority is getting a new national children's hospital built, rather than upgrading existing facilities.
The Minister was responding to comments made by a leading paediatric consultant who has described Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Dublin as "cramped, crowded and outdated".
As the Crumlin hospital launched a campaign to raise €8m for its cancer and cardiology wards, Dr Orla Franklin said the current "primitive" facilities there were hampering the hospital's ability to deliver urgent care.
James Reilly told reporters in Cork however that he wanted the new children's hospital built as quickly as possible.
"I know that Crumlin made their decision to go for funding in the cardiac area in January, before the decision on the paediatric hospital was made. That's a matter for Crumlin," he said.
"My concern is to get (the new) children's hospital built as quickly as possible so that our children get the best care, in the best environment."
