The Government is being blamed for yet another delay to the opening of the National Children's Hospital until 2026.
Sinn Fein is describing it as "a fiasco", saying it was meant to be open in 2022 but is way over-budget. Construction costs lie at €2.2bn after a number of previous delays.
Sinn Fein Health Spokesperson and Waterford TD David Cullinane says the Taoiseach Simon Harris and Government must accept they've failed.
"What we have with the National Children's Hospital and have had for far too long is a lack of accountability from government, escalating costs with no end in sight and no clear time frame that anyone can have confidence in and government and indeed the Taoiseach has to ultimately bear responsibility for that."
The failure to deliver the new Children’s Hospital within budget & on time is a national scandal. Overseen by Simon Harris, Leo Varadkar & Stephen Donnelly. Children will now have to wait until 2026 before it sees a single patient despite the Billions spent. Incompetence!
— David Cullinane T.D. (@davidcullinane) September 21, 2024
While contractor BAM has also attracted criticism for their part in delays, Deputy Cullinane is adamant there is no doubt on where the ultimate responsibility lies.
"The contractor does need to step up to the plate and deliver the project but ultimate responsibility has to be borne by government. It has to be borne by the Taoiseach who is head of government, who has presided over this fiasco when he was Minister for Health and is now presiding over this fiasco as Taoiseach and I think it scandalises people that this project just goes from crisis to crisis."
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