Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to know where the Minister for Health is today. Where is he hiding? We were told that this project would cost €1.433 billion, which is €450 million more than what was advised to the Government in April 2017. I warned the House about this. Indeed, the Rural Independent Group tabled a Private Member's motion in the House a month before the decision was made to go ahead with this project. The parties whose representatives are raising this matter today, namely the Labour Party and Fianna Fáil, supported the Minister of Health and did not support our motion. We warned Members of this very issue. The reply I received today to a parliamentary question on the matter is staggering. I am as concerned about South Tipperary General Hospital as Deputy O'Sullivan is about Limerick University Hospital, which serves the other part of County Tipperary. A 50-bed unit there is in jeopardy. Every project in the country will be delayed.

The staggering costs involved are outrageous. Apparently €319 million of the additional costs relate to construction cost overruns, while the balance of €131 million, including €50 million in VAT, relates to costs associated with staff, consultants, planning and design teams, fees, risk contingency and management equipment services. This is an appalling vista but we warned Members about this project. It will not stop at €2 billion because the wrong site has been selected. The group Connolly for Kids warned the Department about this. There was a site available at Connolly Hospital. There will never be a maternity hospital co-located with the new children's hospital as promised because there is no room for one. Nurses cannot get in or out of the hospital. There are no parking spaces and the site is totally unsuitable. One cannot make a silk purse from a sow's ear. This is an appalling vista on the watch of the Minister for Health and this Government, as well as the parties that supported them, despite the warnings. Those parties are now crying crocodile tears.

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