Co Kildare man expresses 'horror' of St James as childrens hospital

A Co Kildare CEO of a leading national charity has spent the past two days attending a Bord Pleanala hearing in a desperate bid to stop plans for constructing the new national childrens' hospital at St James.

CEO of Jack & Jill Foundation, Jonathan Irwin, established the charity for seriously ill children, up to four years old, following the death of his own, Jack at 22 -months-old.

Mr Irwin and his wife Mary- Ann O'Brien, of Lily O'Brien chocolates, had a son Jack in 1996. He was born with a lot of mucus in his nose and continued to require a feeder tube, losing his battle for life almost two years later.

Also Mr Irwin lost a son from a previous marriage.

Speaking to KildareNow, he outlined his serious concerns about St James being designated as a childrens hospital.

"I would have been in horror if we had to go to St James when Jack was sick. The thought of getting through the city, it is in one of the worst areas of Dublin. There is a methadone clinic beside it and it is heavily polluted."

He is appealing for the Government to reconsider Blanchardstown as the national childrens' hospital.