The Minister for Health must take some share of responsibility for the latest delay to the National Children\u2019s Hospital, according to Social Democrats TD P\u00e1draig Rice.<\/p>\n
Deputy Rice, who is the party\u2019s health spokesperson, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen questioned earlier today on when the new hospital would open, Minister Carroll Mac Neill flippantly suggested that people should \u2018ask BAM\u2019, the contractor.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile it is infuriating that the National Children\u2019s Hospital has now been delayed for the 15th<\/sup>\u00a0time \u2013 which BAM must take some responsibility for \u2013 it is not acceptable for the Minister to lay all blame for this debacle at the feet of the contractor.<\/p>\n \u201cThe new hospital, which is desperately needed by young patients and their families, has been beset with endless delays, constantly shifting timelines and eyewatering cost overruns.<\/p>\n \u201cThis and previous governments involving the Minister\u2019s own Fine Gael party must also be held to account for the botched handling of this project, which is set to cost taxpayers over \u20ac2.24 billion, with no certainty on the final price tag.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Minister cannot act as a casual bystander as yet another deadline for handing over the completed building to Children\u2019s Health Ireland is missed. Ultimately, it is her department that is responsible for ensuring this hospital is delivered on time and within budget \u2013 something it has spectacularly failed to achieve.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is one of the most expensive capital projects ever undertaken in the history of the State. It is the Minister\u2019s job to deliver this hospital and, instead of ducking and diving, she must answer questions about when it will open.\u201d<\/p>\n September 4, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Minister for Health must take some share of responsibility for the latest delay to the National Children\u2019s Hospital, according to Social Democrats TD P\u00e1draig Rice. Deputy Rice, who is the party\u2019s health spokesperson, said: \u201cWhen questioned earlier today on when the new hospital would open, Minister Carroll Mac Neill flippantly suggested that people should […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[540,723,11,649,642,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-children","category-childrens-health-ireland","category-health","category-national-childrens-hospital","category-padraig-rice","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n