There has been plenty of opposition and concern expressed since the location of the new Children’s Hospital was unveiled, and the plans to place it on St James’ Hospital campus have received a further blow.
Orthopaedic surgeon Dr James Sheehan, who was responsible for the development of Blackrock Clinic, has described the proposed location as “the worst possible site”.
Dr Sheehan made the statement during a hearing held by An Bord Pleanála, at which he expressed his deep concern for the building plans.
Due to campus overcrowding, lack of potential for expansion and being ‘land-locked’, Dr Sheehan said that it would be “absolute and utter madness for the future of our children” to proceed with the development on St James’ campus.
Dr Sheehan, who is also an engineer, expressed his concerns as a citizen, parent, grandparent and experienced medical practitioner.
One of the main concerns Dr Sheehan drew up was the issue of parking; he stated that a lack of parking was at the fore of patients’ complaints at Blackrock Clinic, and even trebling the amount of spaces there has not solved the problem. With a lack of extra space for further development on St James’ campus, this could work out disastrously.
The development proposal has been met with major opposition from the outset, with members of the MummyPages community recently expressing their concern over the location; 92% of those surveyed revealed that they were against the building of the new Children’s Hospital on St James’ campus.
