Taoiseach: State won't be a 'pushover' in relation to new National Children's Hospital

Simon Harris: 'What we need now is for the job to be finished' 

The new National Children's Hospital in Dublin. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins

Ireland will not be a "pushover" in relation to the National Children's Hospital, the Taoiseach said.

Speaking in New York, Simon Harris said he thought Health Minister Stephen Donnelly was "entirely correct in the approach that he's taking" to dealing with contractor BAM, which on Sunday denied it was attempting to hold the Government to ransom over the long-delayed and over-budget hospital.

"What we need now, and I don't want to say anything overly inflammatory here, but what we need now is for the job to be finished, and what we absolutely need is to make sure that maximum pressure is put on all involved to finish the job.

"I think it's a perfectly reasonable approach for the minister for health to take to say to coalition leaders that he has concerns here in relation to things not being carried out as fast as they should. I think that's quite an appropriate thing for him to do.

"We have a very good national paediatric hospital development board, a lot of expertise on that, and they'll have the full support of the Government in making sure that all aspects of the contract are pursued and also in making sure that the message goes out very clearly here, Ireland isn't going to be any sort of pushover in relation to any sort of additional claims or the likes.

"We have seen considerable success from the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board at challenging claims to date."