Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

How would the engagement have changed the reality? Expert reports were done and they gave me three options. I outlined them in my informal opening statement. They were to proceed, to pause or to retender. They were the three options that existed. Deputy Donnelly was right to ask whether there are other things we can do to claw back costs. We are very eager to look at this and we will do so. There was no magic option that would deliver the children's hospital with all that was meant to be in it, the various components, the satellite centres and new model of care and not be met with a €1.7 billion bill. That was the conundrum.