Sinn Féin health spokesperson, Deputy Louie O’Reilly, has said the failure of the government to contain the spending overrun at the new national children’s hospital could create problems for future capital projects.

Speaking this afternoon, Teachta O’Reilly said:

“The revelations in the August minutes of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board of the resignation of Paul Quinn, the State’s chief procurement officer who was involved in the National Children’s Hospital project, and that the final figure for the children’s hospital is still unknown raises many questions about what the final cost will be for the project.

“The project is still being based off estimates and no concrete figure has been set for the final cost of the project. Given all that has happened over the past year with this project, that is incredibly concerning.

“With potential new overruns materialising, the government need to state what the current situation is because this could again create problems for future capital projects.

“There are billions of euros of taxpayers’ money at stake in this project and it has implications far beyond the health service.

“It is important that the costs are controlled and that a final figure is agreed for the cost of the project because it cannot be continually revised with the cost of increasing every time.”