Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 February 2022
234. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if the audit on spending to date on the new national maternity hospital enabling works at Elm Park has been completed; if so, if he will provide a copy of the audit report; if not, if there is an expected date for completion; and the reason that the late 2021 completion date was missed. [8802/22]
View answer235. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of whether the Comptroller and Auditor General has determined that a value for money special report is required for the new national maternity hospital given the comments by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the audit on the spending (details supplied); if so, if he is of the view that such a report will apply to the entire new national maternity hospital project at Elm Park; when it is expected such a report will be completed; and if the report will be publicly available. [8803/22]
View answer236. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the increase in the budget for the new National Maternity Hospital enabling works which has increased from €22 million to €51 million known spend to date; and if the Comptroller and Auditor General has carried out analysis to explain the variance. [8804/22]
View answer237. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if all new national maternity hospital enabling works are now completed; if not, the further works that are in progress or not yet started; and the projected end total cost of these enabling works. [8805/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 234 to 237, inclusive, together.
The Department of Health has not received any correspondence from the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) in relation to an audit as described by the Deputy.
As the Deputy’s question relates to expenditure by the HSE, any engagement by the C&AG in this area would most likely be directly with the HSE and, as such, I have referred your questions to the HSE for direct reply.
Planning permission for the new NMH was secured in 2017 and contracts for various enabling works were subsequently awarded. As part of these enabling works, and in order to prepare the proposed site of the relocated NMH, a replacement pharmacy has been constructed and is now operational and a carpark extension is being completed.
The €51m investment referred to by the Deputy is a combined figure for a number of construction and enabling works to prepare the site of the new maternity hospital and de-risk the campus in advance of the construction works for the new hospital. These works include a single construction contract awarded for the replacement pharmacy and extension to existing multi-storey carpark works, at a value of €28,911,062.80 including VAT.
Also included in the €51m (including Vat) spend to date, are contracts for a number of other enabling works, ongoing at present, to facilitate the move of the NMH from Holles Street to the Saint Vincent's University Hospital campus and consist of:
- Aspergillus protection and prevention works
- Demolition works
- Junction upgrades to the entrances at Nutley Lane and Merrion Road in line with planning conditions
- Enabling works / site preparation works; and
- Infrastructural works, including diversions of life critical mechanical and electrical systems supporting the adult hospital.
I have also referred the questions relating to enabling works to the HSE to provide any further updates, for direct reply.
