Leo Varadkar has confirmed the news that the planned National Children's Hospital will cost the government €1.433 billion.
The hospital, which is set to be built on the site of St James' Hospital in Dublin, was originally supposed to cost €650 million, and was put closer to €1 billion just six weeks ago.
According to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, speaking in Dáil Éireann today, the latest increase in price is primarily due to price inflation in the construction industry. Construction costs account for €319 million — and the overall increase will see the project become the most expensive children's hospital in the world.
Varadkar himself was Minister for Health when the project was announced in 2016.
Tweeting about the admission earlier today, Fianna Fáil TD Stephen Donnelly wrote: "Taoiseach tells
@MichealMartinTD that costs of Children’s Hospital has risen €450m. Due to building costs, design, etc. So not a single additional service or bed or doctor...for €450m. You couldn’t make up this level of incompetence."
https://twitter.com/DonnellyStephen/status/1075030851627429890
Even at its original cost of €650 million, it represented the most significant capital investment project ever undertaken in healthcare in Ireland.
The Taoiseach has also announced that there will be an investigation into the unexpected increase in price.
The new hospital is set to bring together three existing children's hospitals ((Temple Street Children’s University Hospital, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght).
