Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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64. To ask the Minister for Health the governance structure changes he expects to make to the national children's hospital board with regard to the overall oversight of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20886/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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An independent review into the cost escalation associated with the new children’s hospital construction project was commissioned to understand the reasons for the cost escalation, with the primary focus of the review being on the governance and management arrangements in place within and between the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) and Executive, Design Team, relevant consultants, user groups and contractors, and so as to inform any governance or other changes required.

The review report, the "New Children's Hospital Independent Review of escalation in costs", published on 9 April 2019, synthesises the findings of the review into a concise set of recommendations, including recommendations relating to the need for enhanced project processes and governance arrangements to ensure successful project delivery against defined parameters. Any changes to the governance structures in response to the recommendations will take account of the findings of the Report. The Minister for Public Expenditure and I are to revert to Government with a plan for implementing the recommendations, including management and oversight arrangements for the new children's hospital project, and I expect that we will do so shortly. When the Plan is approved by Government, it will be published.