National children's hospital costs
Deputy Rice challenged the spiralling cost and delayed opening of the national children's hospital and called for time in the Dáil to discuss the fiasco. The Taoiseach queried whether it was on the Order of Business and the Chair ended the intervention.
We learned today that the potential cost of the national children's hospital has soared by €100 million in just a matter of months. It now stands at nearly €2.5 billion, although no one believes this will be the final cost. It is outrageous that after all this time, nobody in this House knows for sure how much this project will ultimately cost or when it will start treating patients. There is a completion date for June. We have missed many completion dates already. How confident is the Government that this hospital will be open and this date will be met? Crucially, we need to know when it will start treating patients.
Comment on this
The latest estimate is that it will be at least another year. This is the biggest capital investment in the health service in the history of the State and it has been a botched project.
Comment on this
We need time set aside to have a discussion on this fiasco. We need an update on this from the Minister.