Shortage of accommodation could delay opening of National Children's Hospital

Michael Bolton

The Minister for housing Darragh O'Brien has been warned a shortage of accommodation could delay the opening of the new children's hospital.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation wrote to Mr O'Brien saying 'subsidised accommodation' must be included in plans for new hospitals.

The new national children's hospital, which will cost over €1 billion, is set to open in 2024. However, thevINMO says provision for 'affordable accommodation for essential workers' hasn't been made around the new National Children's Hospital on the St James' campus in Dublin 8.

Labour Senator Marie Sherlock, says more housing supply is urgently needed to recruit staff for the hospital.

"We have this vicious cycle of fewer units, more and more people chasing higher rents, and a very small number of homes to buy.", said Ms Sherlock.

"We know there is a chronic shortage of nurses in the city, but also in terms of all the other workers that are going to be needed to make up the National Children's Hospital, in terms of porters, healthcare assistants, doctors, and all the other staff that will be required."

"We're seeing this day in, day our across many sectors now. Workers are saying to us they want to stay in the jobs they love, employers are saying they can't get staff because the cost of housing is so high."

Housing has also become an issue for those building this hospital, as builders who are working on the construction of the national children's hospital say they're having difficulties finding accommodation for workers.

Chairperson of the Irish Property Owners Association, Mary Conway, says building contractors are having real difficulties in getting suitable accommodation.

"The workers who are coming are mainly from abroad. One of the projects would be the window, the glazing, and these are specialist contractors who are coming in from abroad.

"I got a call asking me could I find 10 rooms immediately because they needed to bring guys in because they are under pressure with the project.

"Then I got a call the same afternoon from another contractor asking could I find him 15 rooms."