Burke: State overruns cannot affect Cork healthcare

A GOVERNMENT TD has said cost overruns in the new national children’s hospital must not affect planned works in Cork.

Colm Burke, Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central, said projects to which the HSE has already committed, including 36 critical care beds for Cork University Hospital (CUH) and building work on the planned new major trauma centre at CUH, must be progressed urgently.

Mr Burke made his remarks after the Health Service Executive warned that fluctuations in spending on the new National Paediatric Hospital at the St James’s Hospital campus in Dublin will have a significant impact on the remainder of its capital programme for this year.

The HSE plan, which was published this week, allocates over €1 billion for a variety of projects around the country, and it includes spending of €324m on the new children’s hospital.

However, the plan notes that uncertainty surrounding the costs of that hospital may impact on other health construction costs.

“2023 expenditure on the new National Children’s Hospital (NCH) is estimated at €324m based on the latest information from the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board,” the plan states.

“Fluctuation in expenditure on the NCH, will have a significant impact on the remainder of the Capital Programme, and Capital Plan 2023.”

Originally estimated in 2017 to cost €450m, the hospital is now due to open in 2025 at a provisional cost of €1.4bn. However, after building and then commissioning costs have been taken into account, concerns have been voiced that the final cost of the children’s hospital could be in excess of €2bn.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said on Tuesday that the Government is determined to ensure the fluctuation in spending on the hospital does not have any impact on the rest of the HSE’s capital programme.

He said it was not possible to say how much the new hospital would ultimately cost, but admitted it would be in excess of its revised total of €1.4bn.

Mr Burke told The Echo that projects already committed to, such as the 36 critical care beds for CUH and work on the planned new major trauma centre at CUH, must be progressed.

“The projects we have put money into already, for instance, Heather House, the Blarney Community Nursing unit, we put the money in those, they can’t be delayed from opening because we need the step-down facilities,” Mr Burke said.