Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I have heard we had the project priced before the detailed design had been done and this put us in a very weak position when it came to pricing because the contract was already signed, sealed and delivered. It is not as if cabling technology or hospital technology are changing that quickly. The bidder was able to bid without the final design. While there are other issues, for example, a difficult site, I am told the main reason for the overrun is that there was a political imperative to be seen to be announcing good things and this pushed us to sign a contract before we had the detailed designs. That is what people around town are telling me.