Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Doherty for his questions. I will take the question on the national children’s hospital.

As the Deputy is aware, a specific board, namely, the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, is responsible for the delivery of that project under the Department of Health. Obviously, my Department has a central role in the overall expenditure position. It is important to say that we have a contract in place and we expect it to be fulfilled. Work is continuing on site on the children's hospital. We have been informed by the Department of Health that the hospital development board intends to bring forward an up-to-date report to the Minister of Health in the first instance, and to me in the coming weeks. I am expecting that shortly. I have also indicated to the Minister for Health that it would be timely to bring an updated memorandum on the project to Government.

At this point, I do not have any new figure. There have been various cost claims made and evidence has been given by the hospital development board to the Committee of Public Accounts. However, there is no up-to-date figure at this point because those cost claims have essentially been adjudicated in favour of the State and not the contractor. I am expecting an update shortly from the development board and there will be a memorandum to Government.

As the Deputy knows, the current chairman of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, Mr. Fred Barry, resigned at the end of February. There are a number of vacancies on that board and I have indicated to the Minister for Health that they should be filled as quickly as possible. He has indicated in correspondence to me, in the last day or so, that some vacancies have been filled and others will be filled through the Public Appointments Service, PAS, process as soon as a new chairman has been appointed.