David Cullinane
Ceist:86. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the progress in respect of the development of the national children’s hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33615/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 3 November 2020
Ceisteanna (86)
Freagraí ó Béal (17 píosaí cainte)
My question seeks an update on the national children's hospital. Is the Minister aware of any additional cost overruns associated with a delay in the completion of the project due to Covid? What is the anticipated total cost of the project? When it is anticipated that the hospital will open for patients?
I will give the Deputy the short answer first. As of now, I am not aware of additional cost overruns, but that is not to say that there will not be any such overruns. With Covid, it is inevitable there will be some overruns but none have been agreed, arbitrated on and reported to the Department by the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, NPHDB. In fairness to the NPHDB, Members will remember there were quite significant additional asks by the contractor of which all Members became very aware. Mr. Fred Barry was asked to go in as chairman of the board. I apologise for not having the figures to hand. The board seems to have been very successful in fighting the claims that have been put in. I am happy to furnish the Deputy with the relevant numbers. To date, the board has been very successful in those challenges.
Like many other sectors of society, the construction sector was impacted by Covid. This resulted in construction-related work on the site of the new children’s hospital stopping on 31 March. Following the easing of restrictions in May, the NPHDB engaged with the main contractor to ensure the earliest possible reopening of the sites. The main contractor of the project returned to the site in Tallaght on 29 June and to the main site at St. James's Hospital on 13 July.
There will be delays associated with Covid, but it is too early to assess fully the impact on the children’s hospital project and the paediatric outpatient and urgent care centre at Tallaght. The board continues to engage with the contractor and is monitoring progress on site in the interests of completing the project as quickly and economically as possible. On that note, I wish to state that I am acutely aware of how urgently the new children’s hospital is needed and I wish to see it delivered as quickly as possible on behalf of children, young people and their families. I have no doubt the Deputy shares that view.
Under the contract, the children’s hospital is due to be completed by the end of 2022 and handed over to Children’s Health Ireland to open in 2023 after commissioning. I am advised that the NPHDB was of the view in March 2020, when the site closed due to Covid-19, that the main contractor was behind schedule on the construction works.
The problem is that the chief strategy and planning officer of the HSE told the Joint Committee on Health some weeks ago that delivering the project by 2023 would be challenging. He expressed a hope that it will be possible to open it in 2023 but stated there was no guarantee of that.
The Minister referred to additional claims. It is important for him to furnish such information to all Members. I am looking for his view on any additional claims that arose in 2019 or 2020. Members are aware that even before Covid struck, claims were being dealt with and there was a dispute between the main contractor and the board. Covid then came along and delayed the project even further. The current estimated cost is €2.5 billion. The cost has repeatedly escalated. People wish to know what the final price will be and whether the taxpayer will be on the hook for more expense. I ask the Minister to furnish me with a detailed note on the issue, which would be very beneficial.
I do not think there will be any issue in that regard so long as there are no commercial sensitivity issues. I will arrange for that information to be provided to the Deputy.
On the issue of timing, the board is continuing to engage with the main contractor to obtain an updated programme of works that is in line with its contractual commitments.
As any delivery outside of the timelines agreed under the contract could potentially be a matter for dispute resolution, I want to be careful in respect of what I say here. However, I reiterate that it is a priority for me and the Government that the hospital be completed as quickly as possible.
We all hope that is the case.
In the minute I have left I might again put the questions the Minister was not in a position to answer earlier. What is his understanding of the nature of the confidential GP contract, as we know it was, on 16 April 2019 when he spoke in the Dáil Chamber? Was it his view that that contract was widely available and known among GPs? As the current Minister for Health, does he think it was acceptable that the then Head of Government would have leaked that document to a rival organisation? Can he confirm to Members of this House that documents which are being sought by many parties, including mine, regarding any discussion involving the HSE, the Department of Health and the NAGP between April 2019 and May 2019, will be furnished to Opposition Members or any Member of the Dáil who seeks them?
I ask the Deputy to repeat that last bit.
I am asking about any information, documents or emails that might have been exchanged between the Department of Health, the HSE, the Minister for Health and the Taoiseach with the National Association of General Practitioners between April 2019 and May 2019.
We have time limits and other Deputies are waiting. I have no knowledge of this question, but the Deputy has indicated that he talked to the Minister about it.
I cannot quote all the Standing Orders, but I imagine that the Deputy's question is miles out of order, nonetheless-----
I pointed that out. The Deputy stood up earlier and said he had indicated to the Minister that he was raising a second matter. The Minister did not object at that stage. I had no knowledge of that. Now he is raising again under a second question. It is entirely up to the Minister.
I will answer. I think it would be ruled out of order by the Chair, but I have no problem answering the question at all.
My understanding is that it was not available and hence I was looking for it. It was a critical contract because it was moving away from what is still the existing GP contract. It was essentially adding to the existing GP contract but in an important way - in ways that were identified by Sláintecare. One of the most critical was to have GPs lead the chronic disease management within the community. Essentially as it was explained to me, they were adding chunks the GPs could opt into. I do not believe the exact details were available and hence I raised it-----
Was it appropriate for the then Taoiseach to leak them?
-----at the time.
A question has been asked and we have run out of time.
I will revert on the other question.
The Minister can revert in writing. I am leaving it at that in fairness to other Deputies present.
Okay.