New planning permission to be submitted for Rotunda

A new planning permission for the development of maternity services at the Rotunda Hospital Dublin is to be submitted. The new planning permission no longer contains plans to relocate the Rotunda to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. 

This follows a meeting between the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, officials from the Department of Health, the Rotunda Hospital and the HSE.

Last month a decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála to reject plans for a €100 million extension to the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, was described as “short-sighted and regrettable”, by the IMO.

According to a statement from the Minister for Health, the application will include critical care capacity for women expanding on the earlier application which was focused solely on infants. The new application will also include an enhanced Sexual Assault Treatment Unit.

The Department statement added that it was the “intention of this Minister” to focus on the future of the Rotunda on the current site, while noting that “it is open” to a future Government to take a different approach.

“Our meeting today focused on the next steps for the provision of modern maternity care at the Rotunda,” said Minister Carroll MacNeill. 

“Working collaboratively, and with the support of Government, the Master will bring forward a new enhanced planning application for critical care capacity for women and babies at the Rotunda as well as plans for a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. I am grateful to the Master for his ongoing engagement with me and with officials in my Department. We will continue to work together to deliver appropriate critical care, as quickly as possible.”