A new €9.8m children's intensive care unit at Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin in Dublin opened its doors today.
Four new paediatric intensive care beds were opened, bringing the total number of ICU beds at the hospital to 21.
An additional four ICU beds are due to open on a phased basis by the end of the year.
However, its opening comes amid reports that the country's largest paediatric hospital will run out of funds in six months.
The funding crisis at the hospital, reported in today's Irish Independent, has cast a shadow over the opening of the new unit.
The new ICU doubles the space available for treating children and should make the experience more comfortable for both patients and their families.
However, it is understood that unless an emergency bailout is forthcoming, services at the hospital could be severely curtailed within a matter of months - leading to growing waiting lists and the deferral of procedures.
The prospect of a bailout looks remote, as the hospital's board has already been told it has to cope with its budget allocation of almost €120m agreed at the start of the year.
Minister for Health Dr James Reilly opened the new multi-million-euro paediatric intensive care unit this morning.
