The new €500 million development on the Mater complex will include a new children's hospital to replace Temple Street, which will be converted into a step-down facility for patients who no longer need acute care.
There will also be a significant expansion of the Mater Hospital (computer-aided image, right). A new accident and emergency and outpatient department will be provided. These will be around twice the size of the existing facilities.
A new day hospital will also be developed in the old Mater building. This will have the capacity to treble the number of day case procedures carried out. There will also be new radiology facilities and a helipad constructed on the roof.
In terms of overall capacity, the hospitals will have more than 100 additional beds. Around 40 per cent of these will be single rooms which will provide more privacy and help improve infection control.