Minister for Health must make clear the future of the Rotunda is in Dublin’s North Inner City
Minister for Health must make clear the future of the Rotunda is in Dublin’s North Inner City - The Labour Party
- Deep disappointment at planning refusal, which is essential to enhancing care and capacity, particularly neonatal care
- Minister for Health had been asked to clarify that the 2016 plan to co-locate the Rotunda with Connolly was defunct, but failed to do so. This is now being used against the Rotunda
- Rotunda is the busiest maternity hospital in the State and one of the busiest in Europe. Staff, mothers, and babies deserve better
Marie Sherlock TD, Labour Spokesperson for Health and TD for Dublin Central, has expressed her deep disappointment at the decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála to refuse permission for the proposed critical care wing at the Rotunda Hospital on Parnell Square.
Deputy Sherlock said:
“The Rotunda Hospital is the busiest maternity hospital in Ireland and one of the busiest in Europe, delivering more than 8,000 babies in 2024. This decision to refuse planning permission for a desperately needed critical care wing is a major blow.
“While thousands of mothers can attest to the exceptional care provided by staff in the Rotunda, the reality is that space is a major constraint. This is impacting care, particularly in the neonatal unit, where there is limited space for vulnerable premature babies. That is why this critical care wing is absolutely essential.
“It is deeply frustrating that An Coimisiún Pleanála referenced the 2016 policy on co-location, which proposed the relocation of the Rotunda to Connolly. That proposal is now defunct. Connolly was never upgraded to a Model 4 hospital and, sensibly, the Rotunda has instead built deep and extensive clinical links with the nearby Mater Hospital.
“Remarkably, the Department of Health has failed to make clear that the Rotunda–Connolly relocation is not happening. Even in parliamentary question responses as late as last year, the Department continued to suggest that co-location might still occur. This ambiguity around the Rotunda’s future has now been used as a stick to beat it with in the planning process.
“The Minister for Health was notified of this issue during the planning process and failed to provide clarity on the future of the Rotunda. This is totally unacceptable. The Minister and the Department must now urgently clarify the future of the Rotunda, particularly ahead of the Oireachtas Health Committee next week, when we will be reviewing the implementation of the National Maternity Strategy.
“I fully respect the right of individuals and organisations to object, particularly given the international and local significance of our Georgian architecture. However, it is equally crucial that we deliver the enhanced public maternity services needed to ensure safe, modern, and world-class care.
“It is also important to note that the Rotunda Hospital was established long before the Georgian housing that now surrounds it in what is today Parnell Square.”
ENDS
Link to our link here: rotunda.pdf