Children's hospital cost overruns
Micheál Martin challenged the Taoiseach on escalating costs for the new children's hospital and demanded transparency on the figures. The Taoiseach said the project cost is €1.433 billion, with caveats for inflation, and insisted the hospital will be built.
I note the European Commission has published its preparedness document on Brexit so there can be no excuses.
As we discussed yesterday, the cost overruns for the new national children's hospital are of great concern to us all. The Taoiseach said yesterday towards the end of Leaders' Questions that the costs could be higher and it seems the Cabinet was advised the costs could be higher. I ask the Taoiseach to be honest and transparent in that regard. What kind of figures are we talking about? The International Monetary Fund published a public investment management assessment report on Ireland in November 2017 in which it criticised Ireland and said the country pays more for its infrastructure than other countries and uses it less efficiently. It specifically flagged cost problems with the national children's hospital at the time, stating that discussions with Departments, including the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, "did not reveal any instances of fundamental review having been undertaken, even though there seem to have been instances where this would seem to have been appropriate, eg in the case of the National Children's Hospital." Will the Taoiseach outline the real story with the costs of the hospital and indicate when the investigations he spoke about yesterday will commence?
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It relates to the programme for Government.
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It is probably an issue that should be raised by way of a special notice question to the Minister for Health. The cost of the project is €1.433 billion. I gave that figure to the House yesterday, but there are caveats to that, particularly in regard to construction inflation. The programme for Government commitment is to build the hospital and we will build the hospital.
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It is in the wrong place. The Taoiseach was told that but would not listen.
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The three hospitals - Temple Street, Crumlin children's hospital and Tallaght children's hospital - will come together as a single hospital on three sites on 1 January, which is only two weeks away. The satellite centre in Blanchardstown is almost finished and children will attend that by the middle of next year. Enabling works have started in Tallaght and the facility will be open in 2020. The main piece, the central campus in St. James's Hospital, will be open in 2022.