Written answers

Wednesday, 13 March 2019

Department of Health

National Children's Hospital Expenditure

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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82. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a timeline of events of when his attention was drawn to the fact that the cost associated with the development of the national children’s hospital was escalating beyond that which was approved in March 2017. [8182/19]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I was advised by my officials in September 2017 of a potential cost overrun of €61m, related to a number of factors (including programme alignment, resequencing of works at OPD urgent care centres and fire certificate requirements).  This was monitored through 2017 and 2018 with a view to offsetting the potential cost increases through a variety of measures. 

I was next briefed on potential cost escalation on Monday 27 August 2018 following a meeting with Department officials and the Chair and CEO of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) on Friday 24 August 2018. 

A further  note was provided to me on 7 September 2018 updating me on the emerging position on foot of  briefing provided to the Department by the NPHDB.

Further updates were provided on 1 October and again on 9 November 2018. The NPDHB Report on the Process to Guaranteed Maximum Price was submitted to the HSE on 12 November 2018 and submitted to my Department by the HSE. That report set out the confirmation of the GMP process which informed the preparation of the Memo that I brought to Government on 18 December 2018.

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