The Irish Green Party has criticized the government for its inability to manage the National Children’s Hospital project, denouncing repeated delays and a complete lack of accountability on the part of those responsible. Despite millions of euros spent, work is not progressing as planned.
Hazel Chu, Green Party spokesperson for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform, Digitalization and Media, strongly criticized the government’s hands-off approach to national infrastructure projects, which has led to the latest National Children’s Hospital debacle.
“With the project’s fifteenth delay and its cost potentially reaching $2.3 billion, the information released today by the Public Accounts Committee illustrates what happens when the government abdicates its responsibilities and lets large-scale projects proceed.” Chu continued:
“Despite nearly ten years of work, we are now informed that completion has been delayed again until at least September 2025, that the cost could reach $2.3 billion, and that BAM has only completed 60% of the planned work. No patients are expected to be treated until summer 2026, more than 2,200 expense claims are in dispute, and five legal proceedings have been initiated. It is clear that the lack of intervention towards public bodies has gone on too long, and the DPER’s Infrastructure Unit must intervene.”
Cllr Hazel Chu, Green Party Spokesperson
This will be a crucial test of whether the Ministry of Expenditure and Reform is truly focused on delivering and completing the project, or whether it will continue to remain passive as it has always been.
The government must therefore take responsibility for this failure and take all necessary measures. It is imperative that we learn the lessons of the National Children’s Hospital, or risk repeating the same mistakes.
