Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
2241. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which progress continues in the construction of the National Children’s Hospital in line with expectations; if any unforeseen obstacles to the project have emerged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37138/21]
View answerThe New Children’s Hospital (NCH) Project, comprising the main hospital at St James’s campus in Dublin, and two paediatric outpatient and urgent care centres at Connolly and Tallaght hospitals, is a Government priority.
The NCH project has been subject to delays, but the paediatric urgent care centre at Connolly Hospital is operational and the second centre at Tallaght hospital is expected to open towards the end of 2021, following a handover and a period of operational commissioning and equipping.
Despite delays, and Covid-19 restrictions, significant progress is being made at the St James’s campus, where the main new hospital building is taking shape. Good progress has been made more recently, with the building expected to be weathertight by the autumn, and fit out of rooms, theatres and clinical areas is ongoing.
The contractual completion date of October 2022 and the opening of the hospital following a commissioning period in 2023 will now not be met. However, the main contractor has issued a compliant programme schedule for the completion of the contract with over 40,000 itemised and sequenced actions which outlines completion can be achieved by December 2023. If the main contractor meet its own schedule, this would mean the NCH at St James’s could open in 2024, after necessary commissioning period.
The National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) has the statutory responsibility and resources to plan, design, build, furnish and equip the new children’s hospital and continues to engage with the main contractor to do everything they can to ensure that this new substantial completion date and opening can be met.
However, the NCH project cannot be immune to external risks: Brexit, the global pandemic, the resultant impact on global supply chains and especially those to the construction industry. However, the NPHDB and contractors are working to mitigate those risks in so far as is possible.
