Department of Health refuses to provide update on children's hospital 

Department officials have told the Oireachtas Health Committee that they cannot provide an update on the cost or completion date of the national children's hospital.

The Department of Health is refusing to give any information on the cost or completion date of the national children's hospital.

Department officials have written to the Oireachtas Health Committee ahead of their appearance on Wednesday telling it that they cannot provide an update on the hospital, which has been dogged by controversy and delays.

The last estimate of €1.7bn was provided in 2019 despite the department and the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) being repeatedly asked for updates.

The Health Committee has now been told that "there is an extremely high likelihood that any discussion on costs or dates, however hypothetical, would prejudice enforcement of the existing contract and very likely negatively impact or jeopardise the NPHDB in its current engagements with the contractor".

While the department is happy to appear before the committee this week, Eamonn Quinn, principal officer of major capital projects, advised that an analysis, "taking account of all known issues in order to consider the optimal way forward for the completion of the project", is currently being carried out.

'Commercially sensitive'

He added that "elements of this analysis are commercially sensitive and must remain confidential, given that there is a live contract in place".

Sinn Féin health spokesperson David Cullinane said the public now has a right to know the projected cost and expected completion date of the hospital.

"It's frustrating and beyond acceptable that month after month, year after year, we have been asking for this information and cannot get it and we still do not know how much it will cost or when it will be finished," he said.

"If the department are going to come before the committee and refuse to provide answers, I feel like it will be a complete waste of time for us."

Mr Quinn and Fiona Prendergast, acting director of health infrastructure, will represent the department when they come before the committee tomorrow.