Results 61-80 of 1,059,502 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Carol Nolan OR speaker:Seán Canney OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Willie O'Dea OR speaker:Claire Kerrane OR speaker:Stephen Donnelly OR speaker:Pat Buckley OR speaker:Jack Chambers OR speaker:Gino Kenny OR speaker:Noel Grealish OR speaker:Dara Calleary) in 'Committee meetings'

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Does Royal BAM accept that it is an extraordinary amount from where this project started to where it is at the moment? It is multiples of what the cost was going to be five or six years ago to where it is now. Does it accept that this is an extraordinary amount that the State has to pay, for what is an impressive structure, by the way?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I would prefer not to try to characterise BAM because it would be fully entitled to come back and say that is a matter for the company. I apologise for repeating myself. The full gamut of issues was discussed in a frank and open way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: How confident is the Minister that it will be completed by June of next year? How confident was he before the meeting and what is his analysis afterwards?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: For me, the purpose of the meeting was because I did not have confidence in the June date and the board, acting on all our behalf, certainly did not have confidence in the June date. That was the genesis of the meeting. From my perspective, one of the core points of the meeting was to say this is BAM's fourteenth deadline, that we cannot possibly have confidence, and the board most...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: What did BAM say at that meeting that gives the Minister more confidence that it will complete this project by June 2025? The board was before the Joint Committee on Health a number of weeks ago and it was aghast and extremely frustrated about where the project was going. Considering that critique, this project might take much longer than to June 2025. What commitment did BAM give about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I will reserve judgment on that until Ms Ross, Mr. David Gunning and the team-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Why is that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Because we need to see the change. It is all well and good for me and the global chief executive to meet and commit to an improved approach to this, but I want to see the change. Ms Ross and I will be staying in regular contact. I want to see the change. I want to see a programme of work in which David Gunning, Fiona Ross and all the board, acting on our behalf, will be able to say that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Has BAM said to the board it would commit to that work engagement, in terms of workers on site, etc? It was obvious from the board's critique that there are just not enough workers from BAM on site. None of the rooms have been signed over, which is not a great sign in terms of a structure like that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes, that is exactly it. It has been a very open point of dispute between the board and the contractor on an ongoing basis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Again, getting back to the commitments, what exact commitments did BAM give? It is an enormous and very profitable company. What did it say in terms of doing X, Y and Z to get the job finished by June 2025? What did it say to the Minister and board regarding what it is going to do?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I think three things are relevant to children being treated in this hospital. First, there was commitment to the commissioning teams going in early. That is something that had not been agreed and can accelerate the opening of this hospital, potentially by several months. That is important. I acknowledge that BAM has said it will facilitate this and make it happen. That had not been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: On a more positive note, when will the hospital be open to children? When will the first child go into the national children's hospital when it is complete? Is there a particular date if that deadline in June 2025 were to be met? Is there a possible timeframe in terms of when children will be cared for in what will be this amazing, though expensive, structure when it is finished?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: It is an extraordinary facility. I believe we need to keep a very clear focus on next year. If Royal BAM and BAM UK and Ireland can hand us the keys in June 2025, we have been consistently told by CHI that there is a minimum six-month commissioning phase. We are looking to accelerate some of that process. As the Deputy will appreciate, nobody can give a precise deadline, but I think we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Realistically, then, it will probably be 2026 when we will-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I do not think we should be going there. I think we need to keep the focus very much on 2025.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: It is realistic if things work to plan-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: Well, they are telling us-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: We all want to see the hospital open as soon as possible. Given the history of this build, though, logistically, we are probably looking at 2026 as the date when children will be there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Stephen Donnelly: I appreciate where the Deputy is coming from-----