Latest Laois News: Local Chair of Public Accounts Committee visits National Children’s Hospital site for progress report

Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Brian Stanley and Deputies Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Colm Burke & Cormac Devlin were given tour

“Public Accounts Committee has taken a keen interest in National Children’s Hospital, the largest construction project in the history of the State.” Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Brian Stanley

Members of the Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) today visited the site of the National Children’s Hospital at the invitation of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board.

Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Brian Stanley and Deputies Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Colm Burke and Cormac Devlin were given a tour of the site by representatives of the NPHDB and the main contractor, BAM Building.

Commenting after the visit, Deputy Stanley said: “In our oversight role ensuring value for money for taxpayers, the Public Accounts Committee has taken a keen interest in the new National Children’s Hospital, the largest construction project in the history of the State. We have been looking at issues such as the cost of the project, the timelines for completion and additional costs that may have arisen during the construction phase.

“At the invitation of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, we visited the site today to see the progress on the project for ourselves, meet the contractor, meet representatives of the Board, and see some of the issues that have arisen during the construction phase. While we get regular reports in the Dáil and to the Public Accounts Committee, we felt that we really need to come on site at different intervals to observe the progress and today was a good opportunity to do that.

“We had a good look around and we have seen that substantial progress has been made, the main building has been constructed and some of the interior fittings are now being added, and that is welcome. Obviously, the big issues that remain for us are the final cost and the completion date, which hopefully will be in early 2024, as this facility is badly needed for children’s health in this State.”

Deputy Stanley thanked the National Children’s Hospital Development Board and BAM for invitation to tour of the construction site and briefing on the project.

PAC is a standing committee of Dáil Éireann which focuses on ensuring public services are run efficiently and achieve value for money.