Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There are many opportunities for projects such as this to be debated, such as at the health committee, here on the floor of the House as a Topical Issue matter and so on. It is not for me, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, to commit to a debate on a project that is being managed by another Department.

As I stated, the capital budget for this project was approved in 2018. Since then, the public spending code has been strengthened. I have introduced a new external assurance framework to strengthen the oversight procedures that are in place in respect of major capital projects. We have a live contract here that has to be managed. The priority is to get the hospital built and open for the children of Ireland who urgently need it to be completed. The contractor is entitled to submit additional claims, and many such claims have been submitted, but the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is entitled to defend those claims and has been doing so. I respect and support the work it is doing. It needs to conclude that work in the fullness of time and enable this hospital to be completed and opened.

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