Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Regarding the hospital, much has been examined. I am the chair of a school board that sometimes considers building an extension and looks at various prices. I understand building inflation and initial guesstimates, but we are talking about a cost that started at €600 million or €650 million nearly tripling. Some people say it might even hit €2 billion. We are not far off tripling the initial cost now, which is a significant increase on what is the largest project in the State. It will be the most expensive hospital ever built per room. The State owned the land, so did not even have to buy any. Has the Minister any indication as to why a project that was supposed to cost €650 million not that long ago will now not give the Exchequer much change back out of €2 billion? It cannot all be building inflation. Building inflation in Dublin is not anything remotely like that, and I was even surprised when I heard that the rate was 4% to 6%. A sum of €500,000 will be spent on a more in-depth costing, but there must be an initial figure. The Minister stated that the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, has done all of the work that he would have asked him to do had he told him in the first place. He has done a great deal of work and examined all of the issues. What has he found?