Work to begin on new National Children’s Hospital within weeks after Cabinet approval

The new National Children’s Hospital has been approved by Cabinet and work is expected to begin within weeks.

The approval came at this morning’s Cabinet meeting and BAM Ireland will soon begin construction on the 12 acre site on the St James’ Hospital campus.

The St James’ site has been a controversial one since it was chosen, with campaigners including the Connolly for Kids group insisting the chosen site was not the right choice.

Despite this, Minister for Health Simon Harris said the four-year building project, which will create up to 1,700 construction jobs is “extraordinarily exciting”.

The new National Children’s Hospital will be the length of Grafton Street, will have 380 en-suite rooms and 93 day beds, while two satellite centres in Tallaght Hospital and Connolly Hospital, which will treat children with minor illnesses and injuries will open by the end of 2018.

The total estimated cost of the new project is €600m, but this is expected to rise to almost €1bn once additional costs are added.

Work has been underway at the site in St James’ for some time, and the ground is almost ready for construction according to Minister Harris.