Deputy Joan Burton, Labour TD for Dublin West, said that she was very pleased with the recent consultation undertaken by the management of the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown with public representatives. Deputy Burton said that she had requested an input by public representatives into the management review process which is underway in relation to Phase 2 of the hospital.
Deputy Burton said that she was delighted to hear that the hospital management have active plans to pursue a further €60 million extension to the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown. This will include additional capacity of up to 90 beds as well as additional services in oncology and other specialty areas. Deputy Burton said: “I have previously written to the Board of the hospital and to the Northern Area Health Board outlining my concerns in relation to cancer services and also for paediatric service in the Dublin 15 area.”
Deputy Burton said that she was, however, rather saddened to find that on the list of possible changes in the management review is a change of name for the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown. Deputy Burton said: “I see no reason why the name should be changed. If, as is hoped, the hospital acquires full university status, a move which I would fully support, I would suggest that the appropriate name should be the James Connolly University Hospital, Blanchardstown.”
“However, it appears that there may be moves to look at dropping the name of James Connolly from the name of the hospital, and confining his name to a suite of rooms. The name of James Connolly was identified by Dr. Noel Browne when the hospital was opened as a TB Sanatorium in the 1950s. Dr. Browne waged a courageous campaign to fight the scourge of TB. The name is an appropriate name, given that James Connolly fought all his life for a fair deal for everyone, and particularly for workers.”
“Hospital management have complained that there is some confusion between the James Connolly Memorial Hospital name and the St. James’s hospital. Better profiling of the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown would address that issue. I, along with the Labour Party, would regret any attempt to drop the name of James Connolly. Ultimately, it seems, that the decision will be made by the Chief Executive of the Northern Area Health Board or the Minister for Health. I will be calling on both not to sanction any name change for the hospital.”
“In any event there should be wider consultation with the public given James Connolly’s historical significance and the now long established association of the hospital with his name. There are many hospital’s around the world, such as the John Hopkins hospital in the United States, which are named after an individual and this has added to the hospital’s profile. I see no reason why the same should not apply to the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown.”