Spending of tens of million on new NMH before plans finalised described as ‘atrocious’ at Dáil’s spending watchdog

The spending of tens of millions of euro on preparations to move the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) before plans are finalised has been described as “atrocious” at the Dáil’s public spending watchdog.

A legal framework for moving the NMH from Holles Street to the St Vincent’s hospital campus was approved by Government in May though the business case is yet to be signed off on.

Dublin Central TD Neasa Hourigan criticised the spending that has occurred in advance of the finalisation of the plans after the PAC was told the project has cost €95.3 million so far.

Of this some €53.3 million has been spent on construction works including the building of a pharmacy and car park — both now in operation — that will serve St Vincent’s and the new NMH.

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The figures were contained in a letter to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) from Department of Health secretary general Robert Watt.

Ms Hourigan told the PAC she thinks there’s an issue with spending when there has been no agreement, adding: “I think that’s terrible in terms of public money and governance”.

She said: “I don’t think we should ever be accepting that and to spend €50 million or €90 million ... of taxpayers’ money when we don’t have an agreement in place is atrocious.”

Ms Hourigan has been a critic of the plan to move the NMH to the St Vincent’s campus.

She was suspended from the Green Party whip for six months in May after she voted in favour of a Sinn Féin motion on the NMH issue.

Mr Watt’s letter did not offer individual contract costs for the construction work as they were said to be “commercially sensitive”.

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy took issue with this.

She said the project would have the benefit of lessons learned from the national children’s hospital — where costs have spiralled — but that it is not obvious how if the process is “opaque”.

The PAC agreed to seek more information on the NMH project from the Department of Health.

The new NMH is expected to cost €800 million overall and the plans have been the subject of significant controversy.

There have been fears in some quarters that potential lingering religious influence at St Vincent’s — which was established by an order of nuns — could mean abortions or fertility treatment would not be allowed to take place at the new hospital.

The Government has rejected such concerns after changes in the ownership structure and the agreement of a legal framework which it says ensures all legally permissible services will be available in the new NMH.