I raise concerns about conditions in children's hospitals as we await the construction of the new national children's hospital in Dublin. On a recent stay in a Dublin children's hospital with my son, I was horrified to see the conditions to which parents and children are subjected. Although the nursing care provided was second to none and the nurses were fantastic, I was alarmed at the cramped conditions in the hospital. Patients share tiny rooms with two beds which are suitable for only one bed. Extremely sick children are accommodated in rooms while their parents sleep on floors with less than 12 in. of space available to them. This is totally unacceptable in 2013. During my visit, no one had privacy and when a doctor wished to speak to a family, the other family sharing the room had to leave. I also saw nurses step over parents to check on patients.

With regard to the parental accommodation available at the hospital, which I checked out, while I was grateful the hospital had accommodation available for parents, it was seriously deficient for parents who must stay in it for any length of time or who are unfamiliar with Dublin or have no other contacts in the city. The facilities for parents to wash and shower were, I regret to say, absolutely appalling. The ceiling of the shower that I saw was covered in black mould. I took a photograph to show to the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly. Notwithstanding the state of the economy, conditions in our children's hospitals should not be allowed to slip while we wait for a new children's hospital.

Some €39 million has been spent on planning and designing a new children's hospital on the now defunct Mater Hospital site. It would cost a tiny fraction of this sum to improve parental accommodation in the hospital I visited. We owe it to children and their parents to provide the best possible supports when children are in hospital as this is a time when parents and children are very vulnerable.

Is the Senator seeking a debate on the issue?

Yes. I was concerned that someone had written in a book of comments for parents the following comment: "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be near my child." The child in question was particularly sick and being near one's child should not be considered something for which parents should be grateful. Parents have a right to look after our sick children when they are in hospital. Our children deserve the best when they are at their most vulnerable.

I read recently a comment by the Minister for Health that the new children's hospital will be a beacon of light for everyone in paediatric care.

I read recently that the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, said the new children's hospital will be a beacon of light for all of us in paediatric care. It is now envisaged that the hospital will not be built until 2018. I call on the Minister to come to the House to assure us that the standards in our existing hospital will be maintained while we await the building of the new one.