Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 19 October 2023

Public Accounts Committee

Children’s Health Ireland and National Paediatric Hospital Development Board: Discussion

9:30 am

Mr. Phelim Devine:

The change that has gone through the employer's representative relates to a number of issues. It is critical that we complete the hospital in a way that is fully compliant with statutory, regulatory and clinical best practice or standards. There have been a number of changes because it is a huge, complex project. There are over 5,600 rooms and spaces. The public works contract does not allow you to set out any products or materials. The contractor comes after the GMP is set and comes to build the building, offering a range of different products and systems, all of which have to go together. When put together, there are slight changes, updates and variations, and that is what causes the changes in question. Some of them may have an impact on a compliance issue.