National Children's Hospital bill tops €2.2bn and will open to patients in 2026

Vivienne Clarke

The Minister for Health has said the latest delay to the opening of the National Children’s Hospital had been known for some time.

The project was originally due to be completed by 2020, but the multi-billion euro hospital will instead open its doors in 2026.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said a commissioning phase lasting up to nine months would be required once the building was completed by the builder and handed over in June 2025.

Work has already begun off site on the commissioning phase, she told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, but much of the work such as fitting out operating theatres could not take place until there was access to the building.

"The international evidence that I've looked at so far shows that that commissioning phase can take 10 and 12 months in hospitals that we have been examining and working with," she said.

Ms Carroll MacNeill also said that she anticipated the final cost of the new hospital would be "close to" €2.24 billion and that additional claims by the builder BAM had yet to be adjudicated. She said to date only €48 million of the €853 million they were claiming had been approved.

The Minister also confirmed that children could not be moved into the new hospital during winter months.

“If you imagine the logistics of this, we want to move the children from Temple Street, Crumlin and Tallaght essentially over a seven to 10-day period. What we do is we discharge as many children as can be discharged. We essentially have to close the city overnight and move the sickest children in Ireland in ambulances from the hospital that they're in to a new hospital.

“All of the international evidence says that you do not do that during a risky period. Other children's hospitals have been opened in spring, summer and autumn, but never in the winter, because while the hospitals are busier from November to March, there are more staff off with respiratory illnesses.

“There is more respiratory disease in the hospital itself. It is the busiest possible period for ambulances. It's not the right time to do that.

“I certainly as a parent, I would not want the Minister for Health to take a risk with the wellbeing of my sick child.”

When asked about reports of further claims by builder BAM, Ms Carroll MacNeill said she anticipated the cost would be “close to” €2.24 billion.

“Just because BAM have put in a claim that, by the way, includes the commissioning costs, it doesn't mean that they've gotten the money. I could ask you for money, any amount of money, it doesn't mean you're going to give it to me. The amount of money that the State has given BAM in those claims, which the state robustly defends, is €48 million out of €853 million. So I do appreciate that. It makes good headlines. I do appreciate that it stokes a little interest, a little fear. But the reality is, of €853 million sought, €48 million has been given.”

“This hospital, if it costs us €2.3 billion, our annual spend on health is nearly €24 billion every year. So it's €2.3 billion out of €24 billion. It's a once off, €2.3 billion for a hospital that we would have for 100 years. So just to place some context on the amount that is out of our annual budget is really important.”

Ms Carroll MacNeill said she supported openness and transparency at all times, when asked about calls for builders BAM to appear before the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee.

“The purpose has always been to robustly defend these claims on behalf of the State.”