17 hours ago
The country's new children's hospital will be called (drumroll) – the National Children's Hospital Ireland
THE NEW CHILDREN'S hospital, which has been shrouded in controversy over its ballooning costs, will be called the 'National Children's Hospital Ireland'.
A memo brought by Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill sought Cabinet sign-off on the name today, which has been described as 'unimaginative' by those in Sinn Féin.
Ministers were asked to approve an application to trademark the name for the new hospital, which is expected to open next year.
A government spokesperson said this afternoon that the name was chosen after 'extensive engagement' with an advisory council.
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Over the years, there have been campaigns for the hospital to be named after a historical figure. In 2023, the government did not oppose a Seanad motion calling for the new Children's Hospital to be
named after Dr Kathleen Lynn
.
Lynn was a suffragette and doctor who co-founded Saint Ultan's Children's Hospital in Dublin in 1919 with her partner Madeleine ffrench-Mullen.
Lynn, who was from Mayo, was the chief medical officer for the Irish Citizen Army during the Easter Rising.
The motion was brought forward by Fianna Fáil's Mary Fitzpatrick and Catherine Ardagh. Previously, Sinn Féin has also called for the new hospital to be named after Lynn, with some unions also backing the move.
Reacting to the name, Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South Central, Aengus Ó Snodaigh expressed his disappointment at the decision by the government today to name the national children's hospital the 'National Children's Hospital Ireland'.
He said the Dáil had given unanimous support to name the hospital after Dr Lynn.
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'Today's decision by government is a missed opportunity to do justice to our history.
'The Taoiseach Micheál Martin had described Dr. Lynn as 'a very worthy choice', and Health Minister Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill said there was 'nothing not to like' about the 'extraordinary woman'. What changed their mind?' he asked.
He said Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael had ignored the consensus and after years of deliberations have settled on the most unimaginative name possible.
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