Minister for Health James Reilly has announced with Minister Alex White and Minister Kathleen Lynch the government’s decision to relocate the National Maternity Hospital (NMH), Holles Street, to the St. Vincent’s University Hospital Campus at Elm Park.

€150mn has been approved Plan to allow this project to proceed.

The Minister said: "This project heralds a new and exciting chapter in maternity care for women and infants in Ireland. Mothers and babies have been assured of a quality service in Holles Street down through the years. Now they can be assured of the same service in a state of the art, custom built, modern health care facility, providing care to international standards in the most appropriate surroundings and with access to the facilities and staff of a major acute hospital; in short - the best care in the best environment."

The proposed relocation addresses a recommendation in the 2008 KPMG Independent Review of Maternity and Gynaecology Services in the Greater Dublin Area Report.

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It said Dublin maternity hospitals should be located alongside adult acute services.

Welcoming the announcement, Dr. Rhona Mahony, Master of the NMH Holles Street, said: "Our vision is to create an environment which facilitates clinical excellence so that women and infants attending the NMH receive the highest standard of care. Currently NMH is situated on Holles Street in an old building no longer fit for purpose. A new facility is urgently needed. The relocation of NMH will address this need and will achieve our strategic aim of close location with St. Vincent’s University Hospital. We look forward to working with the Minister, the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive (HSE) and St. Vincent’s University Hospital to make this vision a reality."

Mr. Nicky Jermyn, CEO, St Vincent’s Hospital Healthcare Group, added: "We currently enjoy a very close working relationship with the NMH. Over the years many clinical synergies have been created in anticipation of co-location. We look forward to closer physical proximity and enhanced collaboration in the best interest of patients. The aim is to provide clinical excellence for the delivery of the maternity services enhanced by close organic linkage to the wider clinical research and medical services of St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group/St. Vincent’s University Hospital."

In conclusion, the Minister said: "This commitment by the Government underpins a determination to provide strong maternity services for Ireland. It will also strengthen the very successful relationship with University College Dublin as part of the Dublin East Hospital Group. Staff at NMH have worked very hard in difficult circumstance for some time now. This project signals a clear desire to provide the best possible services to women and their families. It also demonstrates clear support for the staff who serve our families."

(IT/MH)