Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As we all know, the impact of Covid-19 on the delivery of health services in the State has been catastrophic. We also know that waiting lists across nearly all medical specialties have increased significantly and that it will be years before we can finally determine the real magnitude of the crisis that has been created in non-Covid-related areas such as cancer, coronary and paediatric care. It also needs to be pointed out, however, that it was wrong of this Government to decide to close down cancer services during the pandemic while the restrictions where in place. Many medical experts asked for the services to remain open and they should have done.

There was another crisis in the making well before Covid-19 was even heard of and it is one that cannot and should not be cloaked by the focus on the pandemic. I am referring to the scandal that is the delivery of the national children's hospital project. This project was originally budgeted at €650 million. The cost escalated to €1.74 billion, with the most recent estimate now reported to be in excess of €2 billion. In February, the chief executive of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board told the Committee of Public Accounts that the hospital is not likely to be fully operational until 2024. This is a full two years after the original contractual endpoint of 2022.

We were also told in February that more than 700 claims have been lodged by various contractors against the project, with the amount associated with these thought to be in excess of €300 million. This project has become a chaotic financial albatross and a health nightmare. It will inevitably drain vital and much-needed resources away from other areas of healthcare. How could it not, given the scale of the moneys involved? It is a fact that this project will, at the very least, end up being €1 billion over budget before a sick child is even seen. To put into context what €1 billion euros could do in the area of health, I was informed, through a reply to a recent parliamentary question, that the total cost of implementing the entire national cancer strategy between now and 2026 would be in the region of €840 million.

I am also aware that the total net budget for adults' and children's palliative care last year was just over €100 million. That leaves us with €60 million that could be utilised. It is infuriating that the Taoiseach and his party, and the previous Government, had two opportunities to call a halt to this. In March 2017 and March 2019, the Rural Independent Group brought the issue to the Government's attention and called for a radical reassessment of the project.

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