CRUMLIN CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL has voiced its support for the planned location of the new National Children’s Hospital, reacting to concerns raised by An Taisce and Fianna Fáil.

Fianna Fáil’s health spokesperson Billy Kelleher said that there were still “fundamental questions” surround the decision to build the hospital in and around St James’s Hospital in Dublin’s south inner city, and yesterday called on Health Minister James Reilly to issue a “speedy and substantive response”.

In a statement this morning, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, the country’s largest paediatric hospital, said it wished to “categorically reiterate its support for the location” of the new children’s hospital.

It adds that their position on the project has remained unchanged since the board of management was informed last April of the decision to locate the hospital at St James’s.

An Taisce has written to government on the topic, warning that the new hospital will be in breach of EU and Irish planning laws as it would not be co-located with a maternity hospital.

They are calling on the government to instead use a 15 acre site east of the Coombe.

It was confirmed last year that the new children’s hospital would be located at St James’s Hospital campus, and it is expected to be completed by late 2017 at the earliest.

An Board Pleanála rejected original proposals to locate the hospital  at the site of the Mater in Dublin city centre.

Billy Kelleher: ‘Intervention of An Taisce on Children’s Hospital location is significant’ >

More: An Taisce writes to Taoiseach over Children’s Hospital concerns >