Did You Know? There’s a Helipad on the Roof of the National Children’s Hospital
High above the city skyline, the National Children’s Hospital features a state-of-the-art rooftop helipad, designed to ensure the fastest and safest possible transfers for sick children and young people arriving by air.
29 Deireadh Fómhair 2025
Gach suíomh CHI
News
The Helipad at the NCHI will be used by both Children's Health Ireland and St James Hospital.
The helipad will be available for children attending the National Children's Hospital but also be available for adult patients attending St James’s Hospital, supporting rapid emergency access to care. Licensed for up to 200 helicopter landings per year, it could see three to four landings each week when fully operational.
Only specific aircraft are approved to use the helipad, such as the Irish Air Corps AW139. Larger helicopters, including the Irish Coast Guard’s Sikorsky S-92, are too heavy for the rooftop landing pad and will continue to land nearby, such as at Kilmainham before a short ambulance transfer to the hospital.
Benefits include
- A helipad helps very sick or injured children get to the hospital quickly.
- It allows children from all over the country to reach specialist care.
- Faster transfers can save lives and improve recovery.
- It helps the hospital handle emergencies or major incidents.
- The helipad is safe and designed for hospital use.
- Families can feel reassured their child can get care fast.
And in a very special exception granted by the Irish Aviation Authority, Santa Claus himself has been officially cleared to touch down on the hospital’s helipad each Christmas our young patients and families are fast asleep.