MCDONALD’S SAYS IT WILL GET NAMING RIGHTS OF NCH FACILITY
THE charity wing of McDonald’s has insisted that the accommodation building of the National Children’s Hospital will be called Ronald McDonald House – after the mascot that has advertised the fast-food chain for decades.
The Department of Health also said that naming rights to parts of the hospital are being negotiated.
Media reports yesterday claimed that the Department of Health had refused a €10million donation from Ronald McDonald House Charity, a move which would add to the ballooning costs of the hospital.
There had been ongoing controversy about the charity wing of a fast-food company sponsoring a children’s hospital, with the Irish Heart Foundation and others denouncing it as inappropriate advertising to children.
However, a source close to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides accommodation for families in children’s hospitals around the world, said the accommodation will be called Ronald McDonald House – the name on the approved planning permission.
‘Planning permission was approved’
In a statement, the charity said: ‘When the planning permission for the hospital was approved, planning permission for the Ronald McDonald House on-site was also approved. The new Ronald McDonald House will be a 53 en-suite bedroom family facility.
‘It will include a kitchen and sitting room for every 12 family rooms, dining room, playrooms, teenage rooms, feeding rooms, a garden, laundry facilities and private spaces for families.’
‘RMHC, as the agreed service provider for the family accommodation unit of the new children’s hospital, will cover the annual running costs of over €1million per annum, at no cost to the State. RMHC is continuing to work with the HSE and the development board in relation to these plans for the on-site facility,’ it added.
Children’s Health Ireland, the Department of Health organisation overseeing the hospital, confirmed that naming rights were still an option for different parts of the hospital. Health Minister Simon Harris has only insisted that the hospital itself should not come with branding rights.
‘Children’s Health Ireland is examining philanthropic opportunities but the minister believes it is more acceptable that any naming rights would be confined to areas in the hospital,’ a spokeswoman said. ‘No decisions have been made on the naming any part of the hospital,’ she added.
‘Children’s Health Ireland will further explore all opportunities as part of their work on philanthropy.’
She stressed that the overall name of the hospital would not be sold.
‘There are no plans to sell the naming rights of the hospital. As previously announced, the naming process will be undertaken by Children’s Health Ireland. This process will end with a short list of names submitted for Government endorsement prior to announcement,’ she added.
According to the Department of Health, Ronald McDonald House had initially said that it would cover the entire costs of building the accommodation, and the running costs, but the charity later said it would only cover running costs.
The department also pointed out the previous benefits of working with the charity at Ronald McDonald House at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin, Dublin.
‘As with most large children’s hospitals globally, RMHC operates a family accommodation service for families whose children are seriously ill in hospital. RMHC prioritises families whose children are the sickest, who travel the furthest and whose stay in hospital is longest,’ it said.
‘Since 2004, Ronald McDonald House has looked after more than 3,700 families in Ireland. The average stay is 24 nights but many stay in the Ronald McDonald House for months and one family has stayed for over two years. RMHC currently provides this valuable accommodation and support service to 20 families every night in a purpose-built facility on the campus of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin at no cost to the State,’ it said.
The foundations and substructure for the family accommodation are currently under way on site.