Greg Fulton: We could build four Children's Hospitals a decade with cost of negligence claims

The system needs reform, and the role of medical professionals in driving up premiums must be addressed, writes Greg Fulton

The cost of building the Children’s Hospital is escalating with each phase making this one of the world’s most expensive hospital builds. By the time it opens next year it will have cost €2.2 billion. File photo

The Children’s Hospital Ireland is the largest healthcare capital development project undertaken by the State. Costs are escalating with each phase making this one of the world’s most expensive hospital builds. By the time it opens next year it will have cost €2.2 billion. 

A comparison can be made between this figure and what the State pays out on medical negligence litigation which, according to a 2024 Department of Health (DOH) report, cost the Irish taxpayers more than €4.3 billion between 2018 and 2022.