Updated plans for ‘substantial completion’ of National Children’s Hospital more than two months late, PAC told

The delivery of updated plans for the “substantial completion” of construction work on the new National Children’s Hospital (NCH) is more than two months late, the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been told.

Under the terms of the public works contract the main building contractors, BAM, were due to have provided an updated programme for the “substantial completion” of the hospital by the end of February.

However, the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) - the State body overseeing the development of the new NCH - has told the PAC that the so-called employer’s representative for the project is still awaiting the updated programme.

The development of the new hospital has been beset with delays some due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The most recent publicly known date for the expected “substantial completion” of building work is March 2024 with a period of at least six months of commissioning work expected once the hospital is handed over to Children’s Health Ireland (CRI).

Neither the NPHDB nor BAM said on Wednesday whether or not they expected the March 2024 date to be missed in response to queries from the Irish Times.

A NPHDB statement said: “The main contractor’s programme is under constant review and evaluation and the employer’s representative has been engaging with the main contractor to secure a compliant programme as required under the provisions of the contract.”

It added that the substantial completion of the hospital “is informed by the main contractor’s programme” and that the NPHDB “is continuing to engage with the main contractor for an updated programme”.

A BAM statement said the provision of the NCH “has been a complex project for all stakeholders since its inception.”

It said: “The build phase of the project is now over 80 per cent complete and continuing to progress.

“BAM is in constant contact with the NPHDB and the employer’s representative on the progress of the build and on resolving the outstanding issues.”

The statement said: “BAM is committed to working with all stakeholders to bring the project to completion for the parents and children of Ireland.”

‘Fitout’

BAM said that under the terms of the contract it “is precluded from discussing any aspect of the contract”.

The NPHDB’s letter to the PAC offers some information on the equipping of the new NCH which is located beside St James’s Hospital on Dublin’s southside.

It said equipment is being installed in tandem with the construction phase and it outlines how “the internal fitout of the 22 operating theatres including 5 ultra clean theatres, a cardiac bi-plane theatre and a hybrid neuro theatre with dedicated MRI is... under way”.

The NCH project - including two satellite centres in Blanchardstown and Tallaght - is expected to cost at least €1.73 billion.

This includes the €1.433 billion in construction costs set by the then Fine Gael-led minority government in 2018.

Another €300 million is expected to be spent on the integration and transfer of service from the existing three children’s hospitals in Dublin as well as information technology and commissioning costs.

There are concerns that the costs will rise above €1.73 billion.

There have been disputes between the NPHDB and BAM which has made claims for additional costs running into hundreds of millions of euro.