Tallaght Hospital is to maintain contacts with the Department of Health/HSE group planning the development of the new children's hospital at a site at the Mater hospital in Dublin. Martin Walland Ronan McGreevyreport.
Following a meeting of its governing board last night, the hospital said it would contribute to discussions with the HSE transition group planning the hospital.
The hospital will continue contacts with the group before a planned meeting with the Taoiseach at which it wants to spell out its proposals for paediatric services in Dublin.
Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin has refused to participate further in the planning process for the new children's hospital.
In a statement, Tallaght Hospital said it recognised that the Government had already made a decision about locating the new hospital.
"The board of the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, incorporating the National Children's Hospital, believes that best medical practice and what is best for the children of Ireland must be the main impetus for any discussion on new paediatric services.
"The board of the hospital has approved a framework for the development of paediatric services. This framework will be discussed with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health and Children."
However, separately, a senior board member has said the decision to locate the new hospital at the Mater was an "absolute betrayal" of the Tallaght Hospital's charter.
The former Church of Ireland archdeacon of Dublin, Gordon Linney, said the original charter established Tallaght as the umbrella under which the Adelaide, the Meath and the National Children's Hospital at Harcourt Street would amalgamate.
In an interview with Village magazine, Archdeacon Linney said moving the hospital to the Mater, which had a different religious ethos, was a breach of the charter.
"As recently as last summer the Taoiseach personally promised the church leaders that the charter would be honoured," said Archdeacon Linney.
"That includes keeping the National Children's Hospital in Tallaght. While I would be very surprised if the Taoiseach wasn't a man of his word, there isn't one shred of evidence that the HSE recognises that commitment to the charter.
"I was centrally involved in the negotiations in the 1980s and 1990s to set up Tallaght. We've been caused trouble continually by the Department of Health and the health board from day one. There is a huge anti-Tallaght attitude."