Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is a very strange situation. If the new national children's hospital were located at the Connolly site, as has been sought by the vast majority of parents of sick children, there would be access to the Rotunda for maternity services. It is crazy. There cannot be a hospital for sick children without having access to or co-location with a maternity hospital. Many of us know that and I know it from my own experience with a grandchild. It is absolutely vital that the national children's hospital and maternity services are co-located. It is not rocket science and all experts will say that, even those with European and international experience.

There is something rotten here and the Taoiseach mentioned runaway trains. This is a runaway train of costs and a memo from any Minister is not going to stop it. There will be a need for serious oversight on the part of the Comptroller and Auditor General and perhaps an inquiry by the Committee of Public Accounts. No tendering process can account from the cost more than doubling from €480 million to over a €1 billion without any fit-out costs.

The Taoiseach should think about the staggering figures, pinch himself and ask the new Minister about them. This cannot be allowed to continue because we will end up having inquiries about it in here in years to come.

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