The Parnell Square development, which has suffered years of delays, has been hit by major funding setbacks.

It is feared there are fresh delays to the new National Children's Hospital.

Fine Gael has launched its economic plan for the next five years which focuses heavily on Brexit and the party’s record of financial stability, but acknowledged that mistakes have been made and lessons learned in the recent past regarding the spiralling budgets of the likes of the National Children’s Hospital.

The new National Children's Hospital is set to cost at least €1.7bn and is due to open in 2023.

A spokesperson has said that 3% of all the CCTV cameras will have the features installed and that how, or whether, they will be used has not been decided.

There are 573 people waiting on trolleys around the country this morning, according to INMO's Trolley Watch.

Sinn Féin health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly had asked if the meeting was minuted given the scale of the project.

Fred Barry said he was disappointed at the level of progress to date, but added the project can still be complete in three years' time.

The Finance Minister has refused to give a commitment that the new National Children's Hospital will not tip over the €2 billion mark.

The Government has given a "blank cheque" to the children's hospital which risks seeing the project's "monopoly money" spending surge past €2bn, TDs have warned.

There are 487 patients waiting for hospital beds this morning, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation Trolley Watch.

Rarely have expectations been so dampened down in advance of a budget statement.

There are 388 people waiting for hospital beds across the country this morning, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

The current deficit means the health service will likely require another large bailout, despite being given a record budget in 2019.

Fianna Fáil has accused their political rivals of being "childish" and of "throwing mud" when they have been acting in the public interest.

The HSE has warned that the project is facing delays which could affect critical timelines.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has pledged that no projects will be scrapped to foot the bill for the controversial children's hospital build as he unveiled a €2.1bn HSE capital spending plan.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has apologised for and withdrawn comments he made yesterday when he compared Michéal Martin to priests sinning behind altars.

Fears have been raised about the delay in a €8.5m flood relief scheme in a Cork suburb.

The Taoiseach has hit out at Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin comparing him to a priest who secretly goes behind the altar to engage in sin himself.

The Taoiseach has compared Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin to a priest who secretly goes behind the altar to engage in sin himself.

Members of Ireland's construction industry unions are protesting this morning against bogus self-employment.

The Finance Minister has said if the money was there to pay HSE support staff they would do it.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he is "very happy" to offer a full apology to women affected by the CervicalCheck.scandal.

The Dáil has voted to overhaul the National Development Plan to increase climate change measures and address massive overspending.

Social Democrats co-leader Roisin Shortall has said that she believes the cost of building the National Children's Hospital will eventually reach €2bn.

The Chair of the board overseeing the new National Children's Hospital is warning the project's costs could rise even further.

The building frame of the new National Children's Hospital is now under construction as controversy continues over the projected cost of the project.

The Dáil returns today with just a month until the chamber rises for the summer.

Since the RTE/TG4 exit poll dropped at 10 pm on Friday evening, most of the talk about the local and European elections has been about the so-called 'Green Wave'.

The senior civil servant on the board of the National Children's Hospital has told the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee that he did nothing wrong by not telling cabinet ministers about the cost overruns associated with the project.

The board of the National Children's Hospital is giving evidence to PAC alongside the HSE.

Fianna Fáil has hit out at the Government for now spending almost €10bn on three projects that are all billions over budget.

A recruitment freeze imposed by the HSE is having a “detrimental” impact on those already offered jobs by the health authority, according to Labour's Alan Kelly.

A Sinn Féin TD has said a lot of people will be angry over the news that a private clinic will be built on the site of the new National Children's Hospital in Dublin.

Work on a vital flood prevention scheme has been delayed again and construction on it may not start for another year.

Here are all the latest headlines this lunchtime...

The Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has accused Simon Harris of not being on top of the Health brief.

The Minister for Health has told an Oireachtas committee that he is willing to do whatever it takes to strengthen the governance of the National Children's Hospital.

The report into cost overruns at the National Children's Hospital has been published by the government.

Dublin City Council has given full planning permission for the three-storey unit that aims to provide 20 patient rooms for 160 adults.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has promised to increase the entry point to the higher rate of tax to €50,000 over the next five years should he be re-elected to office.