Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Mairéad Farrell TD, has said that Board members of the National Children’s Hospital must appear before the committee urgently to answer outstanding questions.
Teachta Farrell said:
“The overspend and ongoing delays in the National Children’s Hospital is hugely alarming. It is vital that there is transparency, accountability and oversight of what has happened in this case.
“Members of the hospital’s board, the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, must come before the Public Accounts Committee to answer crucial questions.
“PAC wrote to the board to request that their representatives appear before the Committee on 7th November. If they do not do so, then PAC can sit next week during Dáil recess week to ensure that this session can go ahead.
“Government have said there will be an election ‘in the coming weeks’. The dissolution of the Dáil will prevent this PAC session being held and delay these important questions being put to the NPHD board. There can be no delay to answers. If the NPHD are unavailable on 7thNovember and then PAC members will hold a session next week instead.
“I am determined to get to the bottom of the fiasco that has become overspends and delays at the Children’s Hospital. Taxpayers and patients deserve answers. I will stand up for accountability and transparency to ensure that we get to the bottom of this.”
