Olivia Kelleher
A Sinn Féín TD has claimed there is a major generic fault in 11 of the operating theatres in the new National Children's Hospital.
The party's health spokesperson, David Cullinane, told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that a source told him the generic fault has an impact on air ventilation systems.
He said the project's board has known about this situation for a year.
"An external company was brought in to look at the ventilation system and warned that there were difficulties and problems. The board knew about it in May of last year.
"It took 12 months for the board to act, to stop the works, and to establish what they're now saying as workshops to look at the extent of the works needed to be done.
"The source that I spoke to again this morning, and this is somebody at the heart of this project, tells me that this is very, very serious.
"That it will add potentially tens of millions to the cost of the children's hospital, but also could take up to 12 months to complete the changes because what we're talking about here in terms of the operating theatres are obviously very, very sensitive theatres."
Mr. Cullinane added that the Government has to "come clean" about the situation.
"They (the Government) can't be asleep at the wheel. It's my understanding as well that these eleven operating theatres failed the test that was carried out in March. So, for me this is an absolute disaster. For me, this cannot be swept under the carpet."
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told RTÉ News that it would be useful if Sinn Féin could say if their source was the contractor.
"I don't know who it is. We don't know who it is. We don't want a situation, and this may not be the case, but we don't want a situation whereby the contractor is feeding information to Sinn Féin who is then maybe inadvertently acting in a way as to undermine the position of the State.
It would be very useful if Sinn Féin could clarify, not any individuals obviously, but if the source they keep referencing is in fact the contractor."
Mr Donnelly said the contractor had committed to handing the hospital over to Children's Health Ireland and to the State in March of next year. He added that he expected the contractor to meet that obligation.
Board statement
A statement from the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board said: "There has been no material change to the design on the new children’s hospital. The potential works in the 11 operating theatres are minor works – they are not on the critical path.
"The NPHDB has been aware of the potential issue since May 2022. It is being addressed in a timely and appropriate manner.
"The change, if instructed to BAM, will involve the movement of 4 ceiling grilles in each of the 11 theatres. This will not cost ‘tens of millions of Euro’, as is being claimed, and is not expected to have an impact on the completion date of the hospital.
"BAM has been instructed to continue works in accordance with the current design – and this potential issue with be addressed at the appropriate time."
