Mattie McGrath calls for debate on children's hospital cost overrun
Mattie McGrath criticised the children's hospital project, calling it a "black hole" and accusing the government of allowing costs to soar from an intended £400 million to more than £2 billion. He demanded a meaningful debate in this house over spiralling costs, delays and alleged neglect of children's services.
Cost escalation and earlier motions
The speaker recalled that the Rural Independent Group had brought a motion four years earlier to stop what he called the "madness" of the project's expanding budget. He said a project once meant to cost £400 million is now judged at over £2 billion and accused the government of voting to continue the scheme despite those increases.
Access and infrastructure problems
He highlighted serious site shortcomings - no helipad, no parking spaces and no proper road access - and described the surrounding property as congested, arguing the facility's location will impair practical use and emergency access.
Equipment and personnel concerns
The speaker warned that equipment procured for the hospital could be obsolete by the time the build is finished and noted that Mr. Fred Barry had left the project. He framed these developments as part of a wider pattern of neglect and delay affecting children's services.
Call for parliamentary debate and government response
He urged a "meaningful debate in this house" about the cost overrun and delays. In response, the Taoiseach argued that stopping a project midstream would not make sense and said the government, months into office, would have to address the long-running project and its excessive costs.
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Taoiseach, four years ago the Rural Independent Group put forward a motion here to stop the madness of the black hole out of the children's hospital and give the door an opportunity to vote against what was going on. You had confidence that by that time your party supported the government and you voted with the government to continue the madness of a project that was meant to cost £400 million, now judging £2 billion and more, in a place with no access for a helipad, no parking spaces, no access by road there, property is congested, and it will continue. The equipment in the hospital will be obsolete by the time it's finished, I'll say now £2.24, Mr. Fred Barry has left the outfit now, so would you please have a debate in this house, a meaningful debate in this house, about what's going on, and the scandalous overrunner money, and the scandalous neglect and delay to services for our children out of sixes of children. And in relation to Deputy McGrath, you know, stopping a project in midstream doesn't make a whole lot of sense either, Deputy, and the overall objective, The government is six months in, eight months in, come up to eight months in office, and it has to deal with this project, which has been on the way for quite a number of years now, everybody's objective was to provide a state-of-the-art facility for the children of the nation, future children, and it has dragged on too long without question, and it has in terms of incurring excessive costs as well, but the government will have to deal with it. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Taoiseach. Thank you very much, Taoiseach.
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