Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise to Deputy Brendan Smith that he did not get his question in but it is hard to answer the many questions from various parties in 15 minutes. I do not make the rules.

I thank Deputy O'Reilly for raising those screening matters. I will come back to her directly on the cases she has raised with me.

The Office of Government Procurement, OGP, has been considering how to support a co-ordinated approach to the resumption of public sector construction projects. This has resulted in the publication of notes providing guidance, which are available on the its website. The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, NPHDB, has statutory responsibility for the delivery of the national children's hospital. Health and safety on the construction site, including workforce health and safety, is the responsibility of the main contractor. Construction-related work on the site of the hospital stopped on 31 March due to the restrictions. Health and safety is a priority for everyone working on the new hospital and the reopening of the construction site needs to be carried out safely and in compliance with regulations, in the interests of the well-being of those working on the site, members of staff, visitors to St. James's Hospital and local residents. The NPHDB has been informed by the main contractor that it is currently updating the construction stage health and safety plan in preparation for the reopening of the site. A date for the resumption of construction works has yet to be finalised. When the site reopens, it is expected that work will resume on a phased basis to accommodate social distancing.

It is too early to fully assess the impact of health and safety requirements associated with Covid-19 on the new national children's hospital. Unlike others in this Chamber, I do not think we should pick figures out of the air at random and throw them out there. We need to see the impact of the safety measures.

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