The Irish Department of Health has announced plans to relocate Dublin's three maternity hospitals to sites adjoining existing adult hospitals through a public private partnership (PPP) model.

The maternity hospitals are the following:

• The Coombe, which will be moving to St. James' to join the new Childerns' hospital
• The National Maternity Hospital, which will be moving to St Vincent's campus in south Dublin
• The Rotunda, which will be moving to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown

The total investment for each hospital PPP project is estimated at about €150 million (US$166 million).

In 2013, there were approximately 20,000 babies born in the three maternity hospitals.

In May this year we reported that the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) of Ireland selected a consortium led by Balfour Beatty as preferred tenderer for the PPP project to develop 14 Primary Care Centres (PCCs) across the country. The project involves the design, build, finance and management of the new facilities for a period of 25 years.