Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021
811. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the estimated total cost of the construction of the new national children’s hospital to date; and the estimated final cost of construction for the hospital when it is completed. [46721/21]
View answerThe new children’s hospital (NCH) project, comprises the main hospital on a shared campus at St James’s, and two paediatric Outpatient and Urgent Care Centres at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, and Tallaght University Hospital.
In 2018, the Government approved a capital budget of €1.433bn for the NCH project. This included the capital costs for the main hospital at St James's Hospital campus, the two Outpatient Department and urgent care centres at Connolly and Tallaght campuses, equipment for the three sites, and the construction of the carpark and retail spaces.
There are a number of items not included in this investment figure as there was no price certainly for them and nor can there be, for some, for the duration of the project. These include construction inflation, the impact of Covid-19, statutory changes, any change in scope resulting in healthcare policy changes and the Employment Order. In addition, there remain risks beyond the control of the Development Board and the contractor, arising from Brexit, the global pandemic, global supply chain difficulties and shortages of construction raw materials. However, the contractor is working hard to mitigate those risks where possible.
Since the commencement of the NCH project construction, just under €805m has been drawn down for works on the project across the three sites.
Definitive updates on outturn costs cannot be provided due to the fact that there is a live contract in place and speculation on any costs would be detrimental to the Development Board’s commercial engagements.
Despite delays, the new children’s hospital building at St James’s is taking shape. The concrete frame was completed at the end of March which reaches the highest point in the building. This ‘topping out’ is an important milestone in any construction project. The façade to the building will be practically complete and weathertight by the end of 2021 and the internal fit-out of a range of clinical areas is progressing well.
The second paediatric Outpatient and Urgent Care Centre at Tallaght Hospital was substantially completed in early September 2021, in line with the contractor’s programme schedule, and then handed over to Children’s Health Ireland on 15 September 2021.
The new facility is expected to open in mid-November after a period of operational commissioning and equipping. This will further drive the shift towards ambulatory care provision. Together with the Urgent Care Centre, CHI at Connolly, these new facilities will improve access to urgent care for a significant number of paediatric patients. The opening of the second of the three new campuses, will mark another important milestone in the NCH programme and in the delivery of children’s services.
