Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Work on the roof garden of the new National Children's Hospital Lauren Boland/The Journal

National Children's Hospital will cost more than €1.43 billion by 2024 completion date

The final cost may not be known until years after construction ends due to legal claims.

LAST UPDATE | 5 Oct 2022

THE CHIEF OFFICER of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB), David Gunning, told TDs and senators this morning that the total cost of the project may not be known for years after construction ends due to outstanding legal claims.

Over €1.1 billion has been spent so far on the construction of the National Children’s Hospital, and Gunning did not divulge an estimated total cost, except to say it will be more than the €1.43 billion approved by the Government in 2018.

Gunning appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health this morning to discuss the ongoing construction of the new hospital, which was started in 2016.

He told members of the committee that progress on the hospital has “advanced significantly” since July 2021, when the NPHDB last appeared before the committee.

Construction of the project is due to be completed by the end of March 2024.

NCH1 An aerial view of the National Children's Hospital

The overall cost of the project has risen from an estimated €800 million in 2014, to983 million in 2017, to €1.4 billion as of December 2019.

The original completion date in the tender document was August 2022.

Asked by Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane whether the total cost is likely to exceed €1.43 billion, Gunning replied: “Yes, it will be, it will be exceeded.

“As we look at the programme and the 17-month extension, the additional costs will bring us beyond that particular amount.”

He told TDs and senators that construction had “significantly advanced” since July and it is now about 78% completed.

“The advanced progress means that the layout of the hospital is clear and visible to all those who walk through the various departments that are reaching completion stage,” he said.

The committee heard the most advanced areas within the building have floors, walls, ceilings and joinery installed.

“The intensive care pendants and bathroom fittings are being installed, as are the sliding doors,” Gunning said.

In a visit to the site earlier this year, The Journal reported that the structure has reached its final height, that 95% of the concrete had been poured and that many of the wards are walkable and not far from equipment and furniture being installed.

In his opening statement, Gunning also raised the impact of challenges faced by the construction sector due to Brexit, Covid-19 and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“It is widely acknowledged that the global construction sector continues to face challenges related to supply of market essentials due to widespread turbulence in the industry caused by Brexit, Covid, and the War in Ukraine,” Gunning said.

“These issues have led to production disruption, import delays and constraints, inventory depletion resulting in shortages in the market and, more recently, escalating energy and transport costs.

“These are global challenges and are not unique to the construction sector but are having – and will continue to have impacts on the project.”

NCH3 An inpatient bedroom being fitted out

According to Gunning, the NPHDB are seeking “mitigation strategies” from the construction contractor BAM to “ensure that the impact on cost and timeline as a result of the combination of these factors is minimised as much as possible”.

In 2019, the final cost was estimated to be €1.73 billion, while one opposition TD said he believed it was “highly unlikely” that the total cost would be less than €2 billion.

It comes as consumer inflation is currently running at 8%, according to revised estimates from the Central Bank that were published this morning.

While inflation was recognised as being outside of the approved Government investment at the outset, other costs outside of the investment have also arisen, including the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit.

However, the NPHDB cannot provide a definitive update on cost due to the impact it may have on the board’s commercial engagements.

With additional reporting from PA

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
44 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Philip King
    Favourite Philip King
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 7:15 AM

    I hope they get the resources they require. Look at the headlines over the past few months. Starting to feel like I live in Gotham City.

    265
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fergal Reid
    Favourite Fergal Reid
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 7:18 AM

    Just because there are more horrifying headlines doesn’t mean that society is actually getting more dangerous for the average citizen.

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Philip King
    Favourite Philip King
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 7:44 AM

    Crime seems to be on the increase from my perspective or maybe I’m just paying more attention to it lately.

    125
    See 7 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Marc o brien
    Favourite Marc o brien
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 7:48 AM

    Listen to yourself ! Does what you said actually make sense ?
    No ! Is the answer just incase your confused .

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emilio
    Favourite Emilio
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 8:23 AM

    Crime is constantly on the decrease in the western world, but that doesn’t sell newspapers (or support other, more sinister, agendas), so an apparent increase will be reported instead. Our mind is full of cognitive biases and we will fall for the media’s tricks.

    Despite the fact that this is true, and relatively easy to back up with data, I won’t bother even finding a link, because the great majority will ignore the evidence and go along with their ‘gut feeling’, that is, crime is on the increase.

    So please keep believing the world is increasingly more dangerous. It is useful to the powerful.

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Philip King
    Favourite Philip King
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 8:35 AM

    Thanks Emilio. I’m well aware of the media hype surrounding events. I’m just speaking from my own experiences and observations. It does seem like crime is on the increase from my perspective. I know I’ve quoted the media as a source and I’m not one to read into the speculation and sensationalism in the reporting. Ill also admit I’ve looked at no stats or figures. Don’t get me wrong I’m not afraid to go out of the house. I’ve just seen and heard of a lot of crime of late.

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ThomasFrancisMeagher
    Favourite ThomasFrancisMeagher
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 8:44 AM

    Sad thing is that the same few gurriers commit most of the crime here & will probably be arrested again tomorrow or the day after for a similar offence to the one they commit today & when eventually charged will get a suspended sentence ….. and go on to reoffend again & again. Time for our judicial system to start being fit for purpose & handing down proper sentences & time for a jail to be built to keep these gurriers away from the good people in society. If the Gardai weren’t arresting the same people over & over again they might be able to get more done.

    94
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P O' Neill
    Favourite P O' Neill
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 9:35 AM

    Time to crawl out from under the rock, Fergal.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P O' Neill
    Favourite P O' Neill
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 9:40 AM

    Totally agree! The Gardaí do tremendous work on limited resources. It’s the court system that has continually let this country down. Suspended sentences are rife, a quarter of sentence struck off for good behavior and let’s not forget early release, because the prisons are at breaking point.If only they built a super jail in the midlands, but it would cost an absolute fortune, which they
    can ill afford.

    92
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Burke
    Favourite David Burke
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 12:25 PM

    Crime has been falling for decades and the long term trend is still down. Murders went up around 20 years ago when we started getting enough money for drugs which bring gang violence. But if you aren’t involved in drug gangs you are basically safer than ever before.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darragh Mcnamara
    Favourite Darragh Mcnamara
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 7:03 AM

    Last photo straight out of Adam and Paul…..

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emilio
    Favourite Emilio
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 8:25 AM

    Great film that was. It was amazing to watch the rest of the audience as they went from thinking it was a comedy to taking it very seriously for what it was.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Ward
    Favourite Brian Ward
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 10:27 AM

    I’d be very interested in the driving course allocation. Considering the amount of high speed pursuits that the gardai are now getting involved in I wonder how many guards have done the advanced driving course. You can’t expect a new recruit to get into a squad car and chase someone at 100mph+ on the basis that they have flashing lights and sirens. It puts the lives of the public at risk and the guards life at risk. The pursuit in Cork recently where a motorbike guard was badly injured is a prime example of this. Some of that pursuit was on the main Cork Limerick road where you can drive at speed but a large part of it was on roads where proper training for the gardai is essential not only to end the pursuit as speedily as possible but also to make sure that the garda’s life is not at risk.

    From what I’ve been told only about 25-30% of gardai have this training which is ridiculous when we the public expect them to put their lives on the line pursuing criminals.

    60
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Hogan
    Favourite Shane Hogan
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 3:05 PM

    A Gard on a motorbike will have done a training course. The issue is that it’s practice nowadays to get gardai to drive the patrol cars without training as long as they have a full licence.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute famousnotatall
    Favourite famousnotatall
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 6:47 AM

    Hope they also talk about common sense…

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute cosmological
    Favourite cosmological
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 6:58 AM

    Also hope they introduce some enlightenment to policing in the 21st century.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Montys Moonshine
    Favourite Montys Moonshine
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 8:33 AM

    Enlighten them Cosmo, throw out some of your ideas and maybe they’ll pick up in them.

    94
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Clarke
    Favourite John Clarke
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 10:00 AM

    I’d say they’re waiting with bated breath for your suggestions.

    49
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paula Tully
    Favourite Paula Tully
    Report
    Apr 28th 2014, 8:42 AM

    Oooooh a summer shirt now that’s important I was sweating buckets yesterday in me shirt and wool/nylon blend trousers. Aww happy thoughts of no tie in summer

    34
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds