Temple Street Children’s Hospital is “currently off-call for ambulances” following an electrical fault earlier today.

In a statement this afternoon, the hospital said there was an “isolated fault in a sub-area of the hospital’s electrical system” at 9.30am.

It said the problem has “essentially been rectified” however it is still affecting one area within the Emergency Department.

The fault has affected phone lines and lighting.

Parents are encouraged to attend their local GP if at all possible - however if the matter is urgent, the Temple Street Emergency Department is still operational

As a safety measure, all of the hospital's scheduled surgeries were postponed this morning - including 14 day patient procedures and three in-patient procedures.

Four elective MRI scans also had to be postponed.

Emergency surgeries scheduled for this afternoon as set to go ahead as planned.

The hospital said all current in-patients are stable and being cared for “within existing resources.” 

However, they warned that today’s temporary power failure “continues to demonstrate the need for a new children’s hospital.”