Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy mentioned three points. First, the committee should finalise the report at an early time. I support that. Second, the recommendations should be focused on the long term as distinct from the short term. I support that. The third point the Deputy made was there should be a clear implementation plan to deal with it. If we can have an all-party agreement from an Oireachtas committee on a ten-year fix on issues that will remove politics from that, then so much the better. The Minister will be very happy to follow that. The three recommendations the Deputy made are helpful.

In regard to the national children's hospital, which the Deputy was involved with in the beginning, the issue was turned down at the Mater where significant moneys had been spent on excavating the underground car park and the move now to the current site is where I support it should be. We expect that to be under way very quickly. The original costs were €450 million, which was estimated when the Deputy was Minister. That rose to €650 million and we now have speculation that it is somewhere under €1 billion. It is true to say there are few firms that actually have the competence to build a hospital as complicated and as major as this. It is also true that during the recession, many construction firms tendered under price and many of them went bust as a consequence. I am not suggesting that is the reason for the inflation now but there is an element of construction inflation here. It may well be that in order for the health services to get Government on board they will say they could build for a particular amount. In any event, once we get on that treadmill, things can rise. My understanding is that planning permission has been issued.

The group involved is appointing a committee of experienced personnel to constantly monitor what will be a fixed contract. It should be remembered that this will serve 25% of the people of this island - the children - for the next 50 years. We have been talking about an incapacity to open surgical theatres that were designed specifically for that purpose.

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