Peadar Tóibín
Question:777. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the projected total cost of the completion of the new National Children's Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30826/23]
View answerTuesday, 27 June 2023
Questions (777)
Written answers
The New Children’s Hospital (NCH) project comprises the main hospital on a shared campus at St James’s, and two Outpatient and Urgent Care Centres at Connolly and Tallaght hospitals. Both satellite centres are now open and successfully delivering a new model of ambulatory and urgent care for children and adolescents in the Greater Dublin Area.
Works are progressing well on the main site, with the construction and equipping phase now approximately 85% complete against contract value. The large glass biome, that envelopes the panoramic lifts providing intuitive access to all areas of the building, is complete, as well as the rooflights and ward end glazing to the Level 4 Rainbow Garden. Landscaping and tree planting is underway in the outdoor areas. The elevated helipad space is progressing into the final stages of assembly, with helipad structure completed. The major focus in 2023 continues to be the internal fit-out and commissioning of mechanical and electrical services.
Government has been previously advised that the project and programme will take longer and therefore cost more.
In 2018, the previous 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 satellite centres, equipment for the three sites, and the construction of the carpark and retail spaces. €1.3bn has been drawn down to date against this budget.
A number of items were not included in this investment figure, as there was no price certainty for them and nor can there be, for some, for the duration of the project. These include construction inflation, the impact of unforeseen events (e.g. Covid-19), statutory changes, the contractor’s right to claim for additional true costs in line with public works contract provisions, and implementation of the 2019 PwC report recommendations.
Additional costs in relation to the integration and transfer of services of the three hospitals to the new sites brings the total programme cost to €1.73bn. This includes investment in ICT, a new Electronic Health Record system, and the Children's Hospital Integration Programme, (the merging of three paediatric hospitals), including commissioning. Detailed planning around the commissioning, staff training and transfer of services to the new hospital is well advanced.
Definitive updates or outturn forecasts of costs cannot be provided, as there is a live, commercially sensitive contract in place. Discussion of any costs outside of the approved budget, hypothetical or otherwise, could adversely affect the NPHDB’s commercial engagements, contractual relationships and consequently the project itself.
Whilst there is a focus on the capital project and its delivery, we must not lose sight of the fact that the NCH project will deliver world class facilities that will improve and prioritise medical outcomes for the nation’s sickest children, while bringing about transformational change to the delivery of healthcare for the children of Ireland for generations to come.