Planning permission is being lodged today for the plans which will locate all three children's facilities at St James's Hospital in Dublin City Centre.
Concerns have been raised about the location and parking facilities at the site.
Opponents have also said changing the plans to a greenfield site would be cheaper – but Minister Varadkar says that is not the case.
“It wouldn't be hugely cheaper – we did have a look at that – the difference in costs is demolition essentially on a brown field site” he said.
“So it would have been a bit cheaper, about 50 million cheaper, but actually any delay now adds to the cost because construction inflation is now quite high”.
“So every year you delay you're adding about 60 to 70 million in construction inflation to the cost – so a further two year delay – even putting it on an M50 site – would be more expensive than to clear the site which is actually now underway” he added.
Dr Roisin Healy is a representative of the New Children's Hospital Alliance and a retired consultant paediatrician.
She says claims by the government that the decision to locate the hospital at St James's was based on medical advice need to be backed up.
“James Reilly made his recommendation to the Cabinet – his advice and the medical advice to the Cabinet prevailed” she said.
“We haven't heard that medical advice – put it out there, show us, prove it to us”.
“There is no evidence actually….that co-location with an adult hospital improves clinical outcome for children” she added.
While CEO of the Jack and Jill Foundation, Jonathan Irwin, says they will continue to fight the issue.
“Jack and Jill are totally committed and we will be lodging a complaint and we've got a fighting fund now that people are being very good…because I think it's going to cost to fight the project, it's going to cost between 80 to 100,000” he said.
“But I can't sit – as the leader of one of the top children's charities – I cannot sit here and let sick children of Ireland be confined into that tiny campus at James's for the next hundred years” he added.
