MINISTER FOR HEALTH James Reilly has said a new board is to be set up to oversee the development of the new national children’s hospital.

The group will be chaired by Dr James Browne of NUIG and will include representatives of the existing children’s hospitals in Dublin.

The Minister made the announcement at the National Health Summit in Croke Park today.

New chair Dr James Browne has been president of NUI Galway since 2008. He has a degree in engineering from NUIG, has worked with a number of overseas universities, public and private bodies, and has published more than 200 academic papers and 15 books.

After repeated false starts, the National Children’s Hospital is to be built on a site on the grounds of St James’s Hospital in inner-city Dublin. It is due to be finished by late 2017 or early 2018 and will cost at least €400 million. James Reilly has previously said that the hospital will be the largest capital expenditure project of this government’s tenure.

Listen to Minister Reilly announcing the new plans for the Children’s Hospital today (click here if the audio is not appearing for you):
http://soundcloud.com/thejournal_ie/minister-james-reilly-on-the

Read: Reilly in talks to make Children’s Hospital an all-island facility >

Read: Children’s Hospital to be built on St James’s site by end of 2017, early 2018 >