Outline draft legislation which provides for a single statutory entity to run the planned new National Children's Hospital has been published.
The body will take over the services of the existing three Dublin children's hospitals: Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin, Temple Street Children's University Hospital, and the National Children's Hospital at Tallaght.
The board of the new facility will have 12 members.
The new facility is being built on the St James's Hospital campus, and is due to open around 2021.
The General Scheme of the Children's Health Bill 2017 was published today by Minister for Health, Simon Harris.
In April, the Government approved the construction of the new hospital.
There will also be two linked outpatient and urgent care children's centres at Tallaght and Connolly hospitals.
In a statement, the boards and executives of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, Temple Street Children’s University Hospital, Tallaght Hospital and the Children’s Hospital Group (CHG) welcomed the announcement.
They said that the delivery of the new facilities and the amalgamation of staff from the existing hospitals will positively transform paediatric healthcare and deliver improved clinical outcomes.
Speaking on behalf of the hospitals and CHG, Dr Jim Browne, Turlough O’Sullivan, Sean Sheehan and Liam Dowdall said: "We are delighted that the legislation to create this new body is being progressed. While bringing three hospitals together is a complex challenge, it is an extraordinary opportunity to enhance local paediatric services in Dublin as well as enhancing highly specialist paediatric services nationally.
"The voluntary merger of the three hospitals is primarily driven by our common objective to deliver a single service with all specialties under one roof in the new children’s hospital as this will deliver better clinical outcomes for the sickest children and young people.
"In advance of the move to the new facilities we also acknowledge the effort needed to guide and support our staff in the clinical, operational and cultural integration of the three hospitals."
