Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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185. To ask the Minister for Health if the lower cost per square metre of the new children’s hospital, €4,200 per square metre compared to an average of €4,700 per square metre in the US, is indicative of a lower quality of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21236/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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An internationally recognised design team, supported by an experienced National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) and Project Team are in place to drive the project to develop the new children’s hospital and focus on delivering the project in accordance with national policy to optimal design and value for money. They have followed best international design, planning and procurement processes at each stage of the project. A world class design, with child-friendly, high spec, modern interiors and acres of outdoor space has been completed. Hundreds of staff from the three children’s hospitals continue to input into the fit out and internal design to ensure that the children, young people and their families can be treated in the best possible environment – helping to improve clinical outcomes as well as overall well-being and patient experience.

The tender process for the core construction elements for the new children’s hospital and the Paediatric OPD and Urgent Care Centres was highly competitive and BAM Buildings Ltd, the most competitive tenderer, has been notified that it is the preferred bidder.  The final construction elements of the project compare favourably when benchmarked against the costs of international projects of a similar size and scale, in the UK, US & Middle East.

I would like to emphasise again that the project to develop the new children’s hospital is an extraordinary opportunity to enhance paediatric services for children. The Department of Health continues to work closely with the HSE, the Children's Hospital Group Board and the NPHDB to ensure that we deliver a world class hospital needed and wanted by children, young people, their families and the staff in the three children’s hospitals.