Results 81-100 of 1,078,194 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Joe O'Brien OR speaker:Dara Calleary OR speaker:Stephen Donnelly OR speaker:Joe Flaherty OR speaker:Seán Fleming OR speaker:Darragh O'Brien OR speaker:Brendan Smith OR speaker:Imelda Munster OR speaker:Michael Ring OR speaker:Heather Humphreys)

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

Stephen Donnelly: It is something that would be reviewed by the design team and by the board. In 2019 when it became clear that this was going to cost considerably more than had been communicated, there was a lot of activity at that time. Certainly, by the time this Government was formed, the core structural design was settled.

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

Stephen Donnelly: The Senator will appreciate that the reference made was in the context of a massive increase in the communicated cost.

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

Stephen Donnelly: It has not continued. The amount of money the Government authorised earlier this year was linked to the 2019 agreement so the cost overruns did not continue in the lifetime of this Government. I am afraid the €2.2 billion was referring back to the 2019 agreement. Let me answer the Senator very directly. I have full confidence in the board acting on our behalf. I believe Ms Fiona...

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

Stephen Donnelly: That is a matter for the committee. It is not for me to say.

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

Stephen Donnelly: In response to the Deputy's first point, are there lessons we can and have learned? Most definitely. Mr. Tierney is the lead in the Department of Health on the National Maternity Hospital and on the elective hospitals and there was a comprehensive piece of work done which Fiona Ross fed into as well. It has to be remembered we are commencing five other hospitals-----

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

Stephen Donnelly: Lessons have most definitely been learned. Regarding the criteria for June, I will give my understanding of it. I fully accept BAM may agree or disagree with that. Where I believe we got to was that it was willing to stand over the June deadline with a proviso that there were not design changes that would reasonably delay the project. You might have very minor design changes. In fact,...

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

Stephen Donnelly: Yes. We would have to accept that. Where I believe we have got to is that there would be no substantive design changes. Obviously, I cannot speak for BAM. It may have a different view but certainly that is my clear understanding.

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

Stephen Donnelly: It has committed a totality between the commissioning and the project of €2.2 billion.

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

Stephen Donnelly: Ms Ross can correct me if I am wrong-----

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

Stephen Donnelly: I will address the point on claims very quickly and then ask Mr. Tierney to give the Deputy the detail.

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

Stephen Donnelly: The totality of claims is €863 million. To date, there has been an agreed €31 million against that.

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

Stephen Donnelly: To the best of my knowledge, Ms Ross can correct me if I am wrong, there has been one major recommendation in BAM's favour.

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

Stephen Donnelly: The main one is €107 or €108 million. That is strongly contested by the board and that is going before the courts. The advice I have from the board is that it has a very strong case on that. If the Deputy would like Ms Ross to say more, she can.

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

Stephen Donnelly: I am really sorry to interrupt and we may be able to add a bit of time at the end but it is important to respond to that point if we could.

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

Stephen Donnelly: Can I respond very quickly?

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

Stephen Donnelly: Within the €2.2 billion, there is an amount allocated for these settlements.

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

Stephen Donnelly: It is commercially sensitive. I cannot say.

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

Stephen Donnelly: To be clear, it is not being stated that it would open in June 2025. That is when we are looking to take over the hospital completely, at which point much of the commissioning then happens.

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

Stephen Donnelly: I will give my view. If BAM meets its 14th deadline, if we take full charge of the hospital in June, as it is stating we will, if our commissioning teams get early access to this so-called hot block and if the commissioning work proceeds as it is being planned, then the timeline would suggest the end of 2025. There is then a clinical decision about whether it is appropriate to move in the...

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

Stephen Donnelly: We now have a date that Royal BAM says it is standing over and intensive engagement on exactly the baseline programme of work the Cathaoirleach is talking about, such that BAM, Royal BAM and the board, on our behalf, can say this is real and can be done. Let us hope they emerge with that. Even if and when they emerge with that, we will then have to manage that programme of works closely to...