Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will. The figure of €650 million relates to Exchequer funding that was approved when Deputy Burton was in government in 2014 for the core construction of the new national children's hospital, together with the two satellite centres. She was at the Cabinet table when that decision was made, and that does not include equipment, commercial spaces or educational facilities for students, as those elements were always to be funded and to be procured separately. That funding was approved following a cost estimate that commenced in 2013, which was completed early in 2014. At that time, construction inflation was estimated at 3%. The pricing proposed by the tenderers did take account of current construction inflation, which is now running higher than 9%.

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