A petition signed by more than 55,000 people opposed to the building of the new national children’s hospital at St James’s Hospital is to be handed in to Government tomorrow.

The Connolly for Kids campaign, which favours locating the hospital on a greenfield site at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, is seeking a public hearing of the issue at the Oireachtas health committee.

Today marks the deadline for the filing of a judicial review against the decision by An Bord Pleanála last April to grant planning permission for the €650 million-plus project at St James's.

The board developing the hospital says it has completed the tendering process for the first phase of the development and site clearance should begin in July.

A spokeswoman said the decision on a site was made four years ago. St James’s was selected following an extensive and well-publicised process. A planning decision on the site at Connolly would take at least another three to four years.