Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:195. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health the status of the construction of the new national children’s hospital; and the costs incurred with the construction project to date. [50792/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 19 October 2021
Ceisteanna (195)
Freagraí scríofa
The 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.
A major milestone was reached in July 2019, when the Urgent Care Centre at the Connolly Hospital campus opened, providing a new model of ambulatory care for children.
The second paediatric Outpatient and Urgent Care Centre at Tallaght Hospital reached substantial completion on the 9th September 2021, in line with the contractor’s programme, and has been handed over to Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) for operational commissioning. It is expected to be open in November 2021.
Despite delays, work on the new children’s hospital building at St James’s is progressing well and the building is taking shape. The hospital will be essentially weathertight by end of the year. The infill concrete slabs over the steelwork frame, closing in the concourse is now complete. The fit out of certain internal areas is continuing, with discernible rooms and clinical areas taking shape.
The 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 and reviews the contractor’s programme of works on a regular basis.
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.
Since the commencement of the NCH project construction, just under €815m has been drawn down for works on the project across the three sites.