An amazing project which not doubt the Swedes, and having worked for one of their largest corporations up there in aprevious existence, will most definitely have delivered to the agreed and planned timeline. While it was not perfect, I yearn for the time when I worked and lived in Sweden when as in Germany and The Netherlands, public services just functioned, when that was the public expectation and demand.
Yeah can just see our Taoiseach and public servants delivering that type of essential and strategic project. Recalling that the National Childrens Hospital was first proposed in1993 âFaculty of Paediatrics at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland proposed a single tertiary paediatric hospital for the Republic of Ireland to be based in Dublin.â https://thenewchildrenshospital.ie/index.php/nph-timeline-2/
Work did not begin until July 2016 due to professional and political wrangling and yes it was our Tanaiste then Min for Health Simon Harris, who despite the many serious legal already existing issues with the contracts, I suspect was more performative than in hope. Minister for Health, Simon Harris marks the commencement of construction of the new childrenâs hospital | Irelands New Children's Hospital
And presently? Well the latest hospital opening deadline was set for April 19th, but this has been augmented the other previous 19 missed deadlines. Rather than celebrating its opening we are celebrating its 20th missed opening deadline. And that is not all there are currently 12,000 contractual/construction issue item. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ASevq6tv8jQ.
The commissioning status report from the project [lanning authority, yes craftily and in SIr Humphries inimical style, on the part of the Government , an NGO was established to deliver this project. Its latest report states that we are not yet at the substantial completion phase. They also note that the regarding only the equipment aspect the,following has been achieved to date:
"Equipment Installation Progress:
Significant progress has been made on equipment installation across the building:
15% of medical equipment is now installed
14% of nonâmedical equipment is in place
21% of laboratory equipment has been deployed
16% of ICT infrastructure has been installed"
And
âIn total, the hospital will house approximately 60,000 individual equipment items"
Given the totality of equipment and 12,000 defect / contractual items we can now see just how removed from opening and full completion the project remains. The latest estimate completion date being Autumn 2027. NCH opening could be delayed to autumn 2027, cttee hears
The present Min for Health, taking a leaf out of a current US Presidents playbook in ambiguity and variance their governance and decisonmaking, notes that the
âLong-delayed new childrenâs hospital will open âwhen itâs rightââ Children's hospital will open 'when it's right', Minister says
Back in March last year (2025) this was the position Children's hospital will open 'when it's right', Minister says
" Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has said she expects the National Childrenâs Hospital to cost close to âŹ2.24 billion including commissioning costs, and that it will be opened in 2026"
Well that obviously has not happened, has not been completed which means the costs continue and the accelarating construction prices inflation will likely inflate that total by Autumn 2027.
Well the government has at least gotten passed their 19th Nervous Breakdown and that whole sorry saga could now well used to promote a remastered music promo video, for a Rolling Stones nostalgia tour
I laugh because, am afraid if I begin to cry it wonât stop. The project intital estimate was somewhere between 400 and 600 million euro, depending where you stick the pin in the history of this debacle.
However, the State funded Irish Times, (practically all media are now funded by the State to some degree or other) insists âŚNo no that is not caseâŚThere are other childrens hospitals which were more expensive in Dallas and Bucharest, on per square foot basis of course
What a relief. Phew!! And silences the haters too!
On the bright side, a new record has being broken in that the hospital is already nominated the most expensive buidling ever built in the world. Continuing in a long line of ridiculous and profligate spending scandals and project delivery ineptitudes the âgovernmentâ continues to demonstrate its the absence of prudence and competence of the State government and its public servants. But I guess the spending doesnât cause them any pain or accountability so why not?