The fingerprints of three health ministers, and two Taoisigh, are all over this disaster – Leo Varadkar, Simon Harris and Stephen Donnelly
The government is attempting to foist all blame for the ongoing fiasco with the National Children’s Hospital on developer BAM in an effort to evade responsibility for successive government’s mishandling of this critical capital project, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Róisín Shortall.
“According to the Sunday Independent, none of the 3,000 rooms finished so far in the National Children’s Hospital are complete to a satisfactory standard.
“The Health Minister has also made serious allegations of gouging against BAM, with claims that BAM quoted €25 million for work that was ultimately completed by a contractor for €200,000.
“Allegations of gouging, and trying to “extract as much money from the taxpayer as possible”, have been denied by BAM, so the Minister must now stand them up and take action against the developer if they are true.
“The government’s ongoing war with BAM conveniently lays the entire blame for this utter fiasco at the feet of a developer – and insulates successive governments from any blame for this omnishambles.
“The fact is, it is the job of government to oversee and deliver critical capital projects – and this government, and previous governments, have abysmally failed in that duty.
“This project is now on track to be the most expensive children’s hospital in the world, costing many multiples of what was initially budgeted. Incredibly, we still have no idea what the final cost will be and even when it is likely to open.
‘The fingerprints of three health ministers, and two Taoisigh, are all over this disaster – Leo Varadkar, Simon Harris and Stephen Donnelly. Not one of them has accepted even a shred of responsibility for overseeing this debacle.
“Every deadline and every budget for this project has been blown through. Political commitments, given by successive health ministers about when it would open, have proven to be untrue.
“The question must be asked, is anyone in control of this project? If BAM is engaged in gouging they must be held to account. But, so too must the government that oversaw a project that has descended into such a national embarrassment.
“The children of this country, who are being treated in antiquated and unsuitable hospitals, deserve better from this government. They need to know, when is this hospital going to open – and why is the health minister unable to answer that simple question?”
22 September, 2024