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National children’s hospital: Public have well founded scepticism when it comes to costs and open date

Inside Politics: Any suggestion NCH might cost more, or more importantly, open late, retains the whiff of political cordite

20/06/2023 The new National Children's Hospital site in James Street and Rialto pictured this afternoon....Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Jack Horgan-Jones's face
Jack Horgan-Jones
Wed Jun 21 2023 - 07:40

At the end of the day, voters care about two things when it comes to the national children’s hospital: when will it be open, and how much will it cost.

In truth, given that people are probably inured to the extravagant cost of the project, the focus is more on the former. Any suggestion that the hospital might cost more, or more importantly, open late, retains the whiff of political cordite. Which is why the Government, and the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, were so eager to squash claims by Sinn Féin that the latest setback on the project would cost tens of millions to address and take months to solve. Both fought a spirited counter-attack across the day on Tuesday, arguing any changes would be minor and manageable, and not break the bank any further (the bank, of course, was broken on this project long ago).

What is not up for debate is that BAM, the main contractor, was served with a stop notice in relation to half the operating theatres in the NCH, which may now need remediation. It also seems that months went by before objections from a consultant translated into a stop order and a plan. When it comes to timelines and cost, there is a well founded scepticism among the public. Much of what Sinn Féin’s source told them has held up, backed up by documents – but it is also the case that the central claim, that of the scale of the problem remains unproven in the face of strong denials. This may provide enough cover for the Coalition. However, anything that casts doubt on the State’s defence could reignite the controversy – while in the background, the clock is ticking on the political undertaking that patients will be seen in the hospital next year.

If that slips, expect this controversy and more to be thrown back in the Coalition’s face.

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Away from the brouhaha over the NCH, it was an exceptionally busy day for Government announcements, topped off with a barrage of announcements to mark Pride Week, including new laws criminalising conversion therapy and disregarding historic convictions for consensual sexual activity between men. Elsewhere, the pace was relentless, from Garda bodycams; €56 million for shared island initiatives; a new secretary general for the Department of the Environment; a key vote in Brussels on Nature Restoration Law; revisions planned for the national planning framework; and half a dozen other releases. All that and a visit from a Kennedy (Joe, US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland).

Poll: Drop in support for Fine Gael and Sinn Féin

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Best reads

Our lead article today on the report of the group led by Mr Justice Michael Peart, reviewing the Special Criminal Court.

Our coverage of the children’s hospital controversy can be found here and here with further coverage, here.

Arthur Beesley has more insight into the machinations at Sipo over Leo Varadkar’s leak.

Michael McDowell is focusing on gender terminology in the hate speech legislation.

Miriam Lord on the simmering exchanges on neutrality in advance of Micheál Martin’s forum.

In Opinion, Rosaleen McDonagh has a thoughtful piece on assisted dying.

Playbook

Dáil action starts shortly after 9am with topical issues, before a motion on home care and support from the regional group in Private Members’ time at 10am. Leaders’ Questions follows at midday followed by questions on policy or legislation, then Taoiseach’s Questions at lunchtime. Government business takes up the afternoon and evening, including statements on the youth justice strategy before votes in the evening. The Dáil adjourns at 8.45pm.

In the Seanad, commencement matters is at 10.30am, and there are tributes to two term Fine Gael Senator Mary Jackman who died earlier this month. In the afternoon, the second stage of the contentious hate crime Bill resumes at 2pm, before a private members motion from Green Party senators on youth mental health at 5pm. A busy day in the Seanad is rounded out by the report and final stages of the mother and baby redress scheme legislation.

It’s a busy day as well at committees, where the pick of the morning sessions sees the Enterprise Committee hold a hearing on the topical issue of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Equally topical is the European Affairs Committee hearing on EU defence and security policy, while the finance committee hears from David Hall, the debtors’ rights campaigner, on the activities of investment funds in the Irish property market. That’s at 1.30pm. Minister for Further Education Simon Harris is in front of the education committee at 5.10pm and Horse Sport Ireland are in front of the agriculture committee at 5.30pm.

Off campus, Tánaiste Micheál Martin heads to London for a Ukraine reconstruction conference before his consultative forums on neutrality kick off later in the week.