The Ceann Comhairle stopped my train. However, I also welcome our visitors.

We all realise the importance of this project but there is another serious issue developing in the decision to relocate the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital to the new maternity hospital to be co-located at St. James's Hospital. The Minister confirmed to the Dáil only last week that the new national children's hospital would have to complete construction before we even consider beginning the new maternity hospital at the St. James's Hospital site.

I did not say that.

It is a very strange situation. If the new national children's hospital were located at the Connolly site, as has been sought by the vast majority of parents of sick children, there would be access to the Rotunda for maternity services. It is crazy. There cannot be a hospital for sick children without having access to or co-location with a maternity hospital. Many of us know that and I know it from my own experience with a grandchild. It is absolutely vital that the national children's hospital and maternity services are co-located. It is not rocket science and all experts will say that, even those with European and international experience.

There is something rotten here and the Taoiseach mentioned runaway trains. This is a runaway train of costs and a memorandum from any Minister is not going to stop it. There will be a need for serious oversight on the part of the Comptroller and Auditor General and perhaps an inquiry by the Committee of Public Accounts. No tendering process can account for the cost more than doubling from €480 million to over a €1 billion without any fit-out costs.

The Taoiseach should think about the staggering figures, pinch himself and ask the new Minister about them. This cannot be allowed to continue because we will end up having inquiries about it in here in years to come.

Take the money from Ballybrophy.

The decision was made after years of discussion about the principle of building a national children's hospital and the location at which it should be built. That argument is finished and a decision has been made.

Sadly.

The application has been granted planning permission and has been approved by An Bord Pleanála. A fabulous site at St. James's Hospital was chosen in 2012.

Will it be possible to land a helicopter there?

It is planned to co-locate a maternity hospital at St. James's Hospital. On a separate matter, the Minister has been in negotiation with the authorities from St. Vincent's Hospital and Holles Street to move the national maternity hospital to the St. Vincent's Hospital site. Money is on the table for that. Given that thousands of babies are born every year at Holles Street, where conditions are not suitable in this day and age, I hope this matter can be concluded successfully so that a new national maternity hospital, for which money is in place, can be provided at the St. Vincent's Hospital site.

In what decade?

There is a good service to St. James's Hospital via the Luas.