Schools may compete to name new hospital

A COMPETITION could be run in schools to name the new national children’s hospital. Health Minister Simon Harris is to study a proposal to that effect from Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin.

‘I am going to reflect further on the name,’ said Mr Harris, praising what he said was ‘a very good suggestion’ for the competition.

The published Children’s Health Bill has left blank the name of the hospital after threats of legal action by Phoenix Hospital in Arizona. The initial idea was to name it after the resurrecting bird of ancient legend.

Mr Harris said children and health service staff had been involved in the proposed naming of the Phoenix Hospital, but added: ‘I will work with colleagues across the House when I bring forward the legislation to come up with the best mechanism’ – thus indicating that the ‘Phoenix’ name is likely to be scrapped.

Mr Howlin had asked Mr Harris to commit to changing the proposed name ‘in light of possible legal action by the children’s hospital in Phoenix Arizona against the State, due to copying the name’.

He added: ‘Many of us would prefer if it was simply called “the National Children’s Hospital”.’

But he said the legal threat, which some have dismissed, was ‘a fortuitous development and an opportunity, not a difficulty’.

Mr Howlin added: ‘A competition, run through the schools, with the support of the Department of Education, would be an innovative and appropriate way to mark it.’

Mr Harris said that he and Mr Howlin would agree that naming the hospital was not the most important thing, adding: ‘The most important thing is building the hospital.’