Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health David Cullinane TD has called for honesty, transparency, and certainty in relation to the ongoing debacle of the new Children’s Hospital. Teachta Cullinane was reacting to the Minister for Health’s less than reassuring interview on Morning Ireland this morning. 

Teachta Cullinane said that it was deeply disappointing that the Minister for Health was still unable to give a completion date, a handover date, or even an estimated final cost.

The TD for Waterford said that the Minister’s hands-off approach over the last two years left him sitting on the side-lines. The Minister did not hold a single formal meeting with the Development Board in 2022 or early 2023 to grapple with this project. 

Teachta Cullinane said that an agreement on reasonable costs and completion timeframes is needed urgently to deliver the new hospital for the benefit of the 100,000 children languishing on hospital waiting lists.

Teachta Cullinane said:

“I was deeply disappointed and frustrated with the Minister for Health’s less than reassuring interview on Morning Ireland this morning.

“We are now at a stage where the lead developer is saying they cannot deliver the project by May next year, and the Development Board is saying they don’t believe them and that the developer has failed to sufficiently resource the project. 

“All the while, the Minister has spent the last two years sitting on the side-lines without holding a single formal meeting with the Development Board to grapple with this project. He allowed this issue to get out of control and come to a head in the last few months and is reacting to controversy instead of getting to grips with this fiasco.

“We need honesty, transparency, and certainty in relation to this project. We need full disclosure of the relevant facts. The Minister is fooling nobody by hiding the facts. 

“This project desperately needs a final agreement on reasonable costs and completion timeframes. It is the Minister for Health’s job to get this done. He is not a commentator or an observer. It is his responsibility to get a deal and deliver the hospital for the benefit of the 100,000 children languishing on hospital waiting lists.”