Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The national children's hospital is a very important point of discussion and we should put children first. Yes, it should be a game-changer in relation to care for children. We have not provided good facilities for children. Yes, it should be a state-of-the-art facility and I look forward to seeing it. It must move on as quickly as possible. Yes, there should be accommodation for parents to stay with sick children and support them during their time there and there should be the best quality theatres open on a 24-7 basis to ensure we can guarantee the proper care of our children, which has not happened in the past.

However, the cost overrun has led to a serious loss of faith among the public, not only of the Government's capability but also that of the Civil Service, to deliver a hospital on time and within budget. This is part of the frustration because so many capital projects are happening and the public no longer has faith that they will be delivered on time and within budget. We need to rebuild that faith and trust among the people, and we need to do so quickly.

I have two questions for the Minister. I hope the National Maternity Hospital which is being co-located in Elm Park will be delivered on time and within budget. Will the Minister update the House on it? He may not be able to do so but I would appreciate it if he could update me on the National Maternity Hospital at a later stage as I place that on a par in terms of the delivery of a good and proper service. Will the Minister outline also the mechanisms that have been put in place in relation to projects of this size? There needs to be a level of expectation in respect of costs and delivery times so that people can have faith that projects such as the National Maternity Hospital and the national children's hospital will be delivered within budget? This morning I questioned the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, on bus corridors, the metro line and whether we were getting proper estimates for costs. He said the National Transport Authority reports to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on a fortnightly basis. Do the same mechanisms apply to the HSE to ensure that if there are overruns, they are identified early on so that corrections may be made? We must be honest with the citizens because they demand these services but want them at a reasonable cost.

I have no intention of grandstanding and calling for the national children's hospital to be moved or whatever the populist opinion is now. We need to get on and build the national children's hospital.