Results 141-160 of 1,069,982 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Dara Calleary OR speaker:Richard Bruton OR speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice OR speaker:Stephen Donnelly OR speaker:Catherine Murphy OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Thomas Gould OR speaker:Róisín Shortall OR speaker:Cathal Crowe) in 'Committee meetings'

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

Stephen Donnelly: I will ask Mr. Tierney to come in with some of the detail in a moment. I would like to make two quick points in response to what the Cathaoirleach said. First, for children who are waiting on spinal care, be that outpatient appointments, diagnosis, surgery or aftercare, that care and sorting out what we need to do for those children are not contingent on this hospital opening. We have...

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

John Lahart: I made a comment and Senator Conway would have been hurt and taken back by it. It was off the cuff about Royal BAM being the room. I withdraw it. It was not intended. It was in the heat of the moment.

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

John Lahart: I was not suggesting that. It was an inappropriate comment and it was not intentional.

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

Stephen Donnelly: I cannot speak for whether or not they were surprised. They did not hear anything that was not in public domain in terms of the Government's position but, obviously, as to whether they were surprised or not, only they can answer that.

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

Stephen Donnelly: Yes. The Royal BAM chief executive was there and he was accompanied by the chief executive or the general manager - whatever the title is - for BAM UK and Ireland and the chief operating officer for BAM UK and Ireland.

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

Stephen Donnelly: Rather than trying to characterise their position, what I have no hesitation in saying is that BAM disputes a lot of what we have all discussed. It would be unfair of me to suggest that BAM simply said that it was sorry about all that and it will try harder. It is clear from the interactions the board has had with BAM over a long period that BAM has its view and it is a different view to...

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

Stephen Donnelly: The decision to contact Royal BAM was one I took subsequent to the meeting, first, with Ms Ross, and then, second, with the full board, on the back of BAM signalling that it was moving out to a June deadline.

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

Stephen Donnelly: I do not know if there was any such suggestion. There may well have been. Minutes were taken at the meeting. I do not recall it. I can say that there was a very high level of frustration when I met the board. Ms Ross is the chair of the board. We might ask her for the board's view, if that is okay.

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

John Lahart: Was the board not concerned before this?

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

Stephen Donnelly: I cannot say what BAM's motivation is but the facts, as I see them, are we have very clear evidence, I believe, from the board, based on gate receipts, noting day by day, how many people are on site. We have very clear evidence, which BAM may dispute, but the evidence as I have seen it is very strong that the hospital project has been consistently and substantively under resourced. That is...

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

Stephen Donnelly: Does the Senator mean nationally across all of its projects?

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

Stephen Donnelly: I do not but I think Ms Ross has that detail.

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

Stephen Donnelly: It is not the case that 3,000 rooms were handed over and then the quality assurance people took a look. They are on-site all the time. The board and the quality assurance people would have raised concerns early and on an ongoing basis. I think the Senator's point is that it went too far before anyone flagged any concerns. My understanding is that those concerns were flagged early but even...

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

Stephen Donnelly: My very clear understanding is that the answer is "Yes". I will ask Ms Ross to speak to the matter as well.

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

Stephen Donnelly: That is right.

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

Stephen Donnelly: The award for €107 million or €108 million is contested very strongly by the board.

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

Stephen Donnelly: It was the recommendation.

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

Stephen Donnelly: The Deputy asks if there an amount included against full and final awards. There is. In addition, in the context of the Government decision, there is freedom - or whatever the right word is - such that the board is authorised to reach a full and final agreement.

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

Stephen Donnelly: There has been a thorough evaluation of the claims. The recommendation of €107 million or €108 million is strongly contested. The board will bring that to court if necessary. The view of the board is that it has a very strong case in that regard. The total amount that has been agreed against €863 million is €31 million. The Deputy will appreciate that I am not...

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

Stephen Donnelly: I can understand where the Deputy is coming from. On a number of occasions, he has made the charge that I am hands-off. There are many things I can be fairly accused of in my time as Minister for Health, and I have made plenty of mistakes. The Deputy would be hard-pressed to find someone in the Department or the HSE who would have considered what I have done in the past four to five years...