David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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92. To ask the Minister for Health the handover date for the new children’s hospital; if there is a compliant programme of works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52531/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Opening the National Children’s Hospital Ireland (NCHI) is a top priority for Government. Everything possible is being done to achieve this.

Substantial completion of the hospital is informed by BAM’s programme of works and its delivery against that programme. It is for BAM to clearly state when it will complete this hospital.

On 28 August, BAM provided the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) with a programme update. This is under review by the Employer’s Representative to determine compliance with the contract. The NPHDB continues to withhold 15% of payments to BAM, for BAM’s failure to provide a contractually compliant programme of works.

The NPHDB has been consistent that the largest factor contributing to delay is BAM’s continued failures to deliver against its own programme and to resource the project appropriately.

I have been clear; BAM needs to provide the resources necessary to complete all rooms to the contractual standard. Completed rooms must be handed over to NPHDB in a logical, zoned, and timely manner.

On 18 September, BAM committed to new dates to provide additional early access beginning on 3 November for Phase 1. BAM also committed to provide the balance of the 30% of additional early access areas in the Hot Block, Phase 2, by the end of November. The NPHDB has advised that, on 30 September, in a meeting with the Chief Operating Officer of BAM UK and Ireland, BAM reaffirmed its commitments to those dates.

This early access will enable CHI to minimise potential challenges during the post substantial completion phase by easing operational commissioning pressure.

I welcome the fact that BAM has now committed to enabling additional early access for CHI in early November. I expect them to live up to this commitment and drive on to substantially complete the hospital soon thereafter.

I look forward to visiting the site again as CHI are provided with this additional early access.