Government ‘outrage’ at rejection of critical care unit for Rotunda Hospital

There is “outrage” within Government over the overturning of permission for a critical care extension to the Rotunda maternity hospital in Dublin.

Planning permission was granted in July for the four-storey extension by Dublin City Council, but was overturned by Ireland’s planning body An Coimisiun Pleanala on Friday.

Master of the Rotunda Hospital, Professor Sean Daly, said the decision was “incredibly disappointing”.

“I’m really not sure that the correct weight was put on the clinical need of this building,” he told RTE Radio.

He said the age of viability was currently at 22 weeks, or 18 weeks before babies should be born.

This created additional “challenges” as there was a longer period of time when medics were caring for “very fragile” babies who could be exposed to infection or other issues.

“At the moment in the Rotunda, we have a neonatal unit in which we care for babies who weigh as little as a pound and are born, as I said, 17-18 weeks early, all in one room,” he said.

“So there is literally a meter between one baby and the other. This is not 21st century neonatal care.”

He said part of the reason for the planning permission being overturned was because of 2015 plans to co-locate the Rotunda with Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, which Mr Daly said he did not believe would happen, and had said so in his submission to An Coimisiun Pleanala.

He said hospital officials were examining their options, which include a judicial review or submitting a smaller version of the extension on the same site.

“I think there is outrage in Government and indeed on the opposition benches about this decision. It makes no clinical sense,” he said.

Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris said he had spoken to Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill about the issue.

“I’m beyond disappointed. I’m kind of angry in relation to this – I think that’s the Government’s overall sense too,” he said.

“Government will look at all of the options here to get this project back on track.”