Results 501-520 of 2,022 for speaker:John Brassil

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Having spent 15 years in the construction business, I can tell Mr. Pollock that if the lowest tender is 20% below the next tender, someone should ask why. Some of the people on the board are former CEOs of big companies. I can guarantee that if they tendered for a job of that size and were out by 20%, a lot of questions would be asked. To be out by 20% is beyond reasonable in this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Are the works completed to date for that tender running at, below or above that tender price?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Phase A of around €80 million is on budget but phase B has gone up by €300 million.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: How did that happen?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Was that €61 million or €27 million?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: There is one figure from last week of €90 million for the additional nine months, including preliminaries. What is the preliminaries element of that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Yes, but the €90 million that is given for the extra nine months, which is €10 million per month, includes preliminaries. How much is allocated for preliminaries per month?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Does that roughly equate to €10 million per month?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Just by way of comparison, I spoke to a colleague of mine from my engineering days who is working with one of the biggest construction companies in Canada. That company is working on a $1 billion airport contract at the moment but for an overrun on that contract, it is getting $500,000 for preliminaries and he said that figure is at the top end. If there are 25 or 26 extra cranes on site,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Even if the contract price increases from €637 million to €900 million to €1.4 billion, the design team will still get the same money. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: So the design team will get extra fees-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Let us say, for example, omissions in design are costing an additional €20 million. At some stage, the design team will be paid for its omissions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Yes, but it is not a fixed fee either.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: Again, it is quite obvious that while the design team is not getting a percentage, it is getting paid for the extra work. At the end of the day the design team is not going to suffer any consequences for poor design or design omissions. The design team is going to be well paid for the work it does. The question was asked as to whether the two-phase process was the correct way to go about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: That may be the case for concrete and steel, but the other stuff the board is getting has been charged at premium rates. This includes €90 million for nine months' extra work, including premium preliminaries. The figure for works to comply with fire regulations is €27 million. One could build a 90,000 sq. ft office block for €27 million. If we make a comparison of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children's Hospital: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: My assessment is that a process started and a decision was made around the two-stage tendering process. A contractor renowned for its ability to claim extra on original tender prices saw an opportunity, came in and underbid everyone else by an amount that would have raised red flags in any circumstance. How that did not happen given the experience of the board members is beyond me. Once...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: In November, I raised an issue of the new guidelines for wind farm development and the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, gave me a commitment they would be published for public consultation early in the new year. I consider that it is now early in the new year and ask whether the Minister can give me a definitive date on which they will go to public consultation.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (22 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: 176. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the pupil-teacher ratio that pertained pre-budget 2012, that is, three teachers per 49 pupils will be reinstated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2492/19]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (22 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: 318. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE will be requested to include a day care centre for persons with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia in the development of the new facility which will replace existing hospitals in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2377/19]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Data (22 Jan 2019)

John Brassil: 377. To ask the Minister for Health the number of psychiatric nurses that were provided employment contracts in 2018; the number recruited; the type of contract provided in each area in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2494/19]