Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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My last question is for Mr. Gunning. It is two questions in one in the sense that they overlap. I am not saying this is the right thing to do but was a design freeze at a certain point to finish the hospital ever considered? Based on what Mr. Gunning said previously, I know the board wants to get the hospital to a standard that is best in its class, but was it ever considered? The second half of that question is on whether it was ever considered that this project would be handed over in phases. I am not saying on either of those points that this would be the optimum for me or the right thing to do. However, things change. Perhaps the dynamic of what has happened here has changed. Was there ever a suggestion of a design freeze or was it considered? For people watching the committee meeting, a design freeze is essentially where instead of changing some things, such as Mr. Devine outlined earlier as regards the sprinklers, the job would be finished. Was there ever a consideration of a design freeze in order to get this done because, as my colleague said, there are kids waiting on this hospital across the country. Was it ever considered that it would be handed over in phases?