Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is factually incorrect. I will not stand over factually incorrect information. I have not known about this since August. I have known since August that there was an overrun. I have known since 9 November about the scale of the overrun and apprised the Government of that on 18 December when we made a decision. It is now January. We approved the project just before Christmas and I am awaiting the outcome of the PwC report, which is not a "never ever" report. It will be here in March. It will be published in full and I will come back here and answer the Deputy's questions relating to that.

The Deputy asked what else we could do to mitigate cost, which is an important point. We have other options available. For example, what is the future of Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, a hospital that under its own rules needs to be used for the future of children's healthcare? That is an interesting point. Philanthropy is another issue. I have heard the Deputy's views on it but it is a normal part of the delivery of children's healthcare throughout the globe. We see a lot of it in the UK so a new foundation has been established. There are other options we are considering with regard to this. The board is very clear from Government-----