Department head accused of 'disrespect' over refusal to give evidence on children’s hospital

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has been accused of treating the Oireachtas Health Committee with “disrespect” by refusing to give evidence on the spiralling €1.4bn bill for the new national children’s hospital.

Chairman of the committee, Dr Michael Harty, said the department secretary general, Robert Watt, was asked to attend today's meeting and members were “quite disappointed” that the offer was declined.