Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

We know that during lockdown last year, there were months when construction on the hospital was not recommenced. No work was done. We know that there was an inadequate number of staff on the site and that caused delays initially. Is that part of the obligation on the contractor? The more we go into this, the more building inflation is going to be an issue. It is part of the reason the Committee of Public Accounts and the Joint Oireachtas on Health want to keep a close watch on this to keep costs down - not to put it out into the public arena to drive costs up. That is where we are coming from. I do not feel that is accepted.