The HSE has warned that the rising and unpredictable cost of the new national children's hospital will have a significant impact on its ability to deliver other capital projects across the health service. At least a third of the capital budget for this year alone will be spent on the new children's hospital, yet we still do not know what the full cost of that will be. This puts desperately needed health infrastructure - additional hospitals, community beds and services - in jeopardy.

It seems the Minister for Health either cannot or will not discuss the capital costs of the hospital with the Committee of Public Accounts. In light of that, could Dáil statements be scheduled urgently to discuss this matter? The lack of transparency and accountability in respect of such vast sums of public money is very alarming.