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New Children’s Hospital to be completed by October 2024, but uncertainty remains over open date

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe says he is trying to clarify the opening date.

OCTOBER 2024 IS the latest completion date for the new National Children’s Hospital, according to the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB).

The board is set to appear before the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) tomorrow, when it will state that “the stated substantial completion date in this latest programme is 29 October 2024″.

“We are in constant engagement with BAM to ensure that the October 2024 substantial completion is achieved. All our efforts are focused on getting certainty on this date,” the chief officer of the NPHDB, David Gunning, states in his opening statement. 

However, the statement concludes by stating that the completion date of the building phase becomes the start date of an “operational commissioning phase”, leaving a question mark over when the hospital will actually be up-and-running.

The Irish Independent reported earlier today that it could take at least six months to make the facility operational, meaning the hospital would not be fully open until April 2025 at the earliest.

Donohoe seeking clarification

Questioned by The Journal about the possible timeline delay, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said it is a “matter I’m looking to clarify myself”.

When asked about the opening timeline, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said today:

“My view is the hospital is very well advanced, we want to complete it as quickly as possible. and in the best manner possible in terms of commissioning of equipment and so on. I had a different timeline yesterday to the early 2025 timeline but it’s a matter of months between the two timelines.”

When put to the minister that the opening might be pushed out, he said: “I think we have to be very conscious that in all the contractual talks that have been going on, the public commentary on timelines creates perhaps wrong pressures.

“This has to be done properly in terms of value for money for the citizen. It has to get done property in terms of the quality of the building, which is superb.

“And we just had to get it done. Because I think in the fullness of time, when it is completely commissioned it will be I think a world class facility.”

Martin said there has been huge challenges between those who were responsible for commissioning the hospital and those who have the contract to deliver the hospital.

To date, the total amount spent by the NPHDB (as of 30 September 2023) is €1,361,703,344, according to the opening statement to the PAC.

The board states this leaves €71 million remaining in the current overall capital
budget of €1.433 billion.

“Work on the hospital is 92% complete (as at the end of September 2023),” said the board.

Committee members will be told tomorrow that there are a number of contract provisions that were not included as part of the capital approval, such as construction inflation in excess of 4%, changes in scope resulting from healthcare policy changes; statutory changes and Covid-19, all of which have added cost to the project.

The building is well advanced but there is still some way to go to substantial completion, the board states, stating that typically, in a building of this size and scale, the last 10% is the slowest to complete.

The committee will be told tomorrow that the contractor BAM continues to submit large volumes of claims.

2,379 claims have been raised up to the end of September 2023. The substantiated value as claimed by BAM is €769 million. Of these, 1,610 claims of €16.75 million and a further €2.1 million has been agreed through the dispute management process.

This additional €18.85 million is circa 2% of the overall contract value, the committee will hear.

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51 Comments
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    Mute Sgt Pepper
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:06 PM

    Sorry lad. What is this obsession, Americanised obsession at that, with having a bloody audience when proposing? It’s so bloody corny. A proposal between the man and woman in private, or in front of friends and family is fine IMO. But needing to have a load of indiscriminate strangers, or on TV or radio, is just sad and needy.

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    Mute paul o wank xxx
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:30 PM

    …. Or a man and a man, or woman and woman!

    97
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    Mute Eddie Nugent
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    Oct 5th 2015, 1:45 PM

    Sgt Pepper is talking about real Marriage

    7
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    Mute selfsustainable
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:20 PM

    everything is a performance these days! look at weddings lately! it’s all about who can make the best entrance so they can post it on tinternet!sad!

    581
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    Mute Una Lally
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:34 PM

    Seriously though any man who goes to these lengths is probably getting cucked behind his back by his partner.

    134
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    Mute Bridget O'Hanlon
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    Oct 5th 2015, 1:57 AM

    Lovely Una, what a romantic you are

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    Mute stephen
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    Oct 5th 2015, 8:26 AM

    Jesus Una, not sure if I love or hate you.

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    Mute Anton Friendo
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    Oct 5th 2015, 10:42 AM

    That’s just scary

    3
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    Mute Eddie Nugent
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    Oct 5th 2015, 1:44 PM

    so true, shallow people

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    Mute Gráinne Rafferty
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:18 PM

    Cringe of that…

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    Mute D H
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:30 PM

    And thsts what he came up with after 10 years??

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    Mute WJH
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:14 PM

    Spanner

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    Mute Leonie Gilsenan
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:14 PM

    My worst nightmare.

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    Mute Stephen Harding
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:08 PM

    Cop on fella

    287
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    Mute conor o brien
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:24 PM

    I’m surprised no body snatched the ring off him on grafton Street!

    199
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    Mute SMcB
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:30 PM

    Romantic …. Well I laughed hard at that suggestion…

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    Mute whynotme
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:36 PM

    Now a tax on that sh!t I can agree with

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    Mute Richard III
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:28 PM

    gobshyte

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:16 PM

    I’ll give him credit , it took some guts but I would’ve preferred something a bit more private and intimate .why does everything have to be the bigger , the better ?

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:19 PM

    Some may find it corny or embarrassing but at least it’s a story with a happy content unlike most of the so called news about how big Kim kardasians but t is And isis atrocities. Good luck to them

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    Mute You're What?
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:22 PM

    You sad, jaded, overly opinionated w@#Kers. The guy wanted to do something special for the woman he’s spent ten years and raised a little girl with and all you can do is bitterly attack. How pathetically sad all your lives must be that you need to try to drag someone down like this.

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    Mute Al Ca
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    Oct 4th 2015, 10:53 PM

    What’s wrong with a candle lit dinner and roses?………ten years and a kid!….wedding day planned for 2044.

    53
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    Mute Bridget O'Hanlon
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    Oct 5th 2015, 2:00 AM

    You’re what, you’re absolutely right. I think the journal comment section should be re named ‘Vent your sad ass spleen here’

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    Mute TommyJung
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:17 PM

    Pass the sick bag.

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    Mute jack frost
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:09 PM

    It’s romantic and different Fair play to him.

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    Mute Sgt Pepper
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:15 PM

    It’s not romantic. It’s ego tripping nonsense. Not a hint of romance in it.

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    Mute Frank Greene
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:19 PM

    Wedding Bell end.

    106
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    Mute Babadook
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:33 PM

    I’m sorry lad but you can not dance and I think that is a big part of your plan. Very embarrassed for you.

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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:42 PM

    best part of that was the lad in the electric wheelchair and high viz bursting through the crowd at the end!!

    96
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    Mute Meehawwl O'Buachailla
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    Oct 4th 2015, 8:56 PM

    Flash mobs? Really? I thought they went out with the ice bucket challenge.

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    Mute Maz M
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:29 PM

    aaaaaw…don’t be mean now lads ! that guy wanted to show his girl that he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. Just because he did it very publicly doesn’t make it any less meaningful .

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    Mute Al Ca
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    Oct 4th 2015, 10:54 PM

    Do you not think it puts the other person under peer pressure?

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    Mute Joan Featherstone
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    Oct 4th 2015, 8:01 PM

    Personally I’d have called his cards way before this….ten years and a kid, Jaysus would never wait that long for solid commitment.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:36 PM

    Best of luck to them.

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    Mute stephen
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:45 PM

    ahhh what a spaz

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    Mute dannyboy
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:52 PM

    brilliant, well done and the very best of luck

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    Mute Lis_Walsh
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    Oct 4th 2015, 11:13 PM

    Morto for them. It’s about as romantic as a saw movie.

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    Mute dannyboy
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    Oct 4th 2015, 6:52 PM

    brilliant,..well done and the very best of luck..

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    Mute OneTrueVoice
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    Oct 4th 2015, 9:28 PM

    Hope he had a permit.

    27
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    Mute Gash
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    Oct 4th 2015, 8:38 PM

    Jaysus more bad news…..

    27
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    Mute Maurice Quille
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    Oct 5th 2015, 12:05 AM

    2 cans of Fanta a quick ride and and propose in the top floor toilets in the green shopping centre would have been more romantic.

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    Mute Tim Hayes
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    Oct 4th 2015, 11:22 PM

    Good on you Bob, very well done. Don’t mind the ass holes there are allways those miserable gits who just can’t see it for what it is, a romantic proposal. Or maybe they are jealous, who cares. Much happiness to the three of you

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    Mute Meehawwl O'Buachailla
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    Oct 4th 2015, 11:38 PM

    Who’d be jealous of a tool?

    28
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    Mute Tim Hayes
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    Oct 5th 2015, 1:18 AM

    Why all the begrudgery. We seem to be a nation of knock everything, and looking at the comments there are some angry people out there

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    Mute Meehawwl O'Buachailla
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    Oct 5th 2015, 3:47 AM

    Begrudgery is being negative about other’s success. This isn’t begrudgery, or anger for that matter. The guy is a tool and people are calling him out for it. His deciding to make a big public gesture (obviously looking for attention) just to propose to his girlfriend bears this out. What’s wrong with a nice quiet romantic meal? Is he auditioning for some reality show or something? No. He’s just a tool.

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    Mute paddy kiely
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    Oct 5th 2015, 6:14 AM

    Lmao

    8
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    Mute Tom Galvin
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    Oct 4th 2015, 7:52 PM

    Autobiograpy, “Memoirs and Reflections – My Rags To Grafton Strreet Journey’ – SOON ON YOUR LOCAL BUKESHELVES.

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    Mute Liam Byrne
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    Oct 4th 2015, 8:46 PM

    How original.

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    Mute Colm Kelly
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    Oct 5th 2015, 3:37 AM

    OK you already have a kid together just chill out and get married

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    Mute John Fogarty
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    Oct 5th 2015, 2:56 AM

    omg I am so happy for him and his family and all his relations and friends they are beautiful people I hope they have a wonderful life…..

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    Mute Anton Friendo
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    Oct 5th 2015, 10:44 AM

    “This is a pretty shyt flash mob. It’s in my living room, only my family showed up, and they’re just telling me to stop drinking”

    3
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