Ministers Naughton and Carroll MacNeill unveil education services for children at the new National Children’s Hospital Ireland
- Foilsithe: 10 Márta 2026
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 10 Márta 2026
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill have today (10 March) announced details of education services for children and young people at the new National Children’s Hospital Ireland (NCHI).
The new hospital school being established at the NCHI will bring together and build on the strengths of the four existing hospital schools currently located at the Children’s Health Ireland hospitals at Temple Street, Crumlin, and Tallaght and at Beaumont Hospital. All paediatric services under CHI will transition from their current locations to the NCHI, bringing these services together under one state‑of‑the‑art facility.
The new hospital school will provide enhanced educational support for children and young people during their care. The school’s patron will be the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (City of Dublin ETB).
On a visit to NCHI, Minister Naughton said:
“I want to express my deep appreciation for the outstanding support, dedication and guidance shown across all of the hospital schools involved in this exciting development. I am acutely aware of the unique environment in which hospital schools operate and I greatly admire the vocation, compassion, and professionalism demonstrated by every member of staff. I would also like to sincerely thank each of the patrons and their representatives for their constructive and collaborative engagement throughout this process - engagement that has brought us to today’s important announcement.
“The National Children’s Hospital Ireland represents the most significant capital investment in our healthcare system in the history of the State. It will unite existing services within a modern, purpose‑built, digital hospital on the St. James’s campus, providing the very best care and treatment for Ireland’s sickest children and young people. Education will be at the heart of this new facility, and the new hospital school will play a vital role in supporting the holistic care of every child and young person who attends.
“I want to record my sincere gratitude to Archbishop Farrell and Archbishop Jackson for their invaluable stewardship as patrons of the Temple Street Children’s Hospital School and Tallaght University Hospital School, and indeed for their wider contributions as patrons of so many schools across the country. Their leadership has supported generations of children at the intersection of health and education.
“I also want to thank the City of Dublin ETB for its dedicated work as patron of the hospital schools at Beaumont and Crumlin, and I wish the City of Dublin ETB every success as it assumes patronage of the new hospital school at the NCHI.
“My department will continue to fully support all patron bodies as they progress the patronage transfer and amalgamation processes. We will work closely together to ensure that all necessary arrangements are in place in the weeks ahead so that the new hospital school is ready to open in line with the opening of the NCHI.
“My department will also continue our strong partnership with the HSE, and I am grateful to Linn Dara School for extending its specialist provision into the NCHI.”
Minister Carroll MacNeill said:
“The National Children’s Hospital Ireland is going to completely change how we care for children and young people, and for their families, right across the country. This is a major investment in our children’s health and wellbeing.
“However, this isn’t just about a new building. It’s about creating an environment that truly reflects a child-centred vision of care. There will be indoor recreation spaces, fourteen gardens and playgrounds spread across four acres of green outdoor space, and a dedicated arts programme woven throughout the hospital. Creativity, imagination, and wellbeing are not afterthoughts; they are built into the design.
“The new hospital school is a powerful example of the kind of wraparound, holistic model we are putting in place. It means that while children are receiving excellent clinical treatment, they are also supported in their education, their development, and their overall wellbeing. Caring for a child is about much more than treating an illness, it’s about supporting the child and their family, every step of the way.”
Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion Michael Moynihan said:
“Striving to ensure every child and young person in Ireland can access education in a way that works for them is a chief priority of mine. As such, I greatly welcome today’s announcement of details of education services at the new National Children’s Hospital Ireland (NCHI).
“I warmly acknowledge the exceptional work of school leaders and staff who provide teaching and learning supports with such care, empathy, and commitment to children and young people in hospital settings. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone involved all the very best as they embark on their journey at the hospital and I look forward to seeing their progress.”
Dr Christy Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of City of Dublin ETB said:
“As the State Provider of multi-denominational education and training, City of Dublin ETB is delighted to take on the patronage of the new hospital school in the National Children’s Hospital Ireland. We look forward to welcoming all young students into our state-of-the-art school as they become part of our wider City of Dublin ETB network of Community National Schools, Community Special Schools, Community Hospital Schools and Community Colleges.”
Notes to Editors
The Department of Education and Youth has been liaising with the patrons, CHI and HSE regarding the detailed arrangements to establish education provision for patients at NCHI.
Hospital school
The role of the hospital school, funded by the Department of Education and Youth and managed by a school board of management, is to enable primary and post-primary pupil’s access to education during their stay in hospital. Pupils are facilitated in continuing their current programmes of education and in sitting their state examinations by providing exam centres.
The education provided in the NCHI will be determined by the age profile of the children and young people attending, allowing patients the opportunity to continue their education whilst receiving their prescribed treatments.
CDETB Patronage
The City of Dublin ETB already successfully oversees the hospital schools at Beaumont Hospital and CHI at Crumlin. Patronage of the hospital schools at CHI at Temple Street and CHI at Tallaght will also transfer from the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin & Glendalough to the City of Dublin ETB, ensuring unified and consistent governance across all sites.
Learning environment
The NCHI has committed to the provision of an appropriate learning environment within the hospital. The education provided will be determined by the age profile of the children and young people attending, allowing patients the opportunity to continue their education whilst receiving their prescribed treatments.
The dedicated school, with various classroom types and staff spaces will incorporate a range of educational services in a stimulating environment that is conducive to learning and that is medically equipped to cater for children on ventilator support and other mobile electronic medical equipment. It will be fully wheelchair and disability compliant. Additional schoolrooms will be available on four of the inpatient units to cater for children unable to attend the main school due to clinical treatments.
Additionally, a bed-side tablet device within 300 of the 380 in-patient rooms will provide access to education and entertainment systems for patients (it is not provided in the CAMHS unit or intensive care suite). The device can be used to access school work, information about health and the child’s condition and also as a distraction mechanism for patients.