Plans for the new National Children’s Hospital have been approved

It has been announced today that permission for the new National Children's Hospital site shared with St. James' Hospital in Dublin has been granted.

The three existing children's hospitals (Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Temple Street, and National Children's Hospital, Tallaght) will merge together to create the new national hub for children's healthcare. Current Minister for health, Leo Varadkar tweeted about the developments today.

.@finegael Absolutely fantastic news. Planning granted for new national Children's Hospital! Great news for all the children of Ireland

— Leo Varadkar (@campaignforleo) April 28, 2016

There has been a lot of controversy around how suitable the Jame's site is for a hospital such as this. Chief executive of the Children's Hospital Group, Eilís Hardiman told RTÉ: "This truly is a watershed day for children, young people and their families."

New Children's Hospital means state-of-the-art services at an amazing purpose-built site #ourchildrenshospital pic.twitter.com/OBQaiDRd7H — Leo Varadkar (@campaignforleo) April 28, 2016

"These buildings are a significant catalyst for how the new national model of care will be delivered. "We are now firmly on our way to making this long awaited children’s hospital a reality." It is expected construction will start this summer with the hospital opening in 2020. Hardiman also said that two satellite centres at Tallaght and Connolly hospitals will be ready by 2018. The building will be seven storeys high in places with 380 single in-patient rooms, 42 beds in a critical care unit and 18 neonatal critical care units.

Looking forward to the children's party today to celebrate planning permission for #ourchildrenshospital pic.twitter.com/REMSSHp1Q3

— Leo Varadkar (@campaignforleo) April 28, 2016

Some people were critical of the move on social media:

@campaignforleo Fast forward 10 years and people will be wringing their hands wondering how this terribly illogical decision was made. — Maïa Dunphy (@MaiaDunphy) April 28, 2016

@campaignforleo absolute stupid place to build a new hospital. It should be build on a green site not in the city

— Ciaran Lynch (@CiaranLynch) April 28, 2016

@campaignforleo absolute stupid place to build a new hospital. It should be build on a green site not in the city — Ciaran Lynch (@CiaranLynch) April 28, 2016

Lead image via Twitter/@campaignforleo