Varadkar: Plan to move Rotunda to my constituency came from the hospital
The Health Minister has defended a plan to move the Rotunda Maternity hospital to his constituency in west Dublin.
Leo Varadkar announced the planned move of the three Dublin maternity hospitals earlier today. The Rotunda will move to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, the Coombe will move to St James’ Hospital and Holles St, as planned, will go to St Vincent’s.
The total cost for the three moves will be in the region of €450m.
Minister Varadkar said moving the Rotunda to the constituency he shares with Tánaiste Joan Burton is not a political stroke.
"When the proposal was made, that was one of the concerns that I had - that it might be perceived in that way," he said.
"The public rarely rewards you for the promise of something. It's only when it's built that they perceive it.
"The original proposal to do this didn't come from me or the Tánaiste. It came from the board of the Rotunda itself."
