Repeated delays at the National Children’s Hospital are unacceptable, with the contractor failing to meet its commitments month on month.
That’s according to the head of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board who is appearing before the Oireachtas Health Committee today.
David Gunning has told politicians the completion date has been pushed out by 8 months, which is 31 months later than what was last agreed and that they won’t accept ongoing deferral dates.
Mr. Gunning has said that in his view “the hospital is the hostage” in ongoing negotiations with contractor BAM regarding the project.
It comes as the Oireachtas Committee on Health was told that construction firm BAM has “shifted the substantial completion date” of the project 14 times in just four years.
David Gunning said a total of €1.478b, including VAT, has already been spent and that in February, the Government agreed to a capital budget for the hospital of €1.88bn.
Mr Gunning told the committee that his group has also asked BAM “when are we getting our children’s hospital”.
Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Health David Cullinane said he is “sick of the fiasco as well” adding the fact children still do not have access to care.
While questioning Mr Gunning, Mr Cullinane said the situation is like “Groundhog Day“, adding he finds it “hard to explain” to people that more than 3,000 rooms have been provided by BAM but are considered by officials to not be adequate.
David Gunning said “BAM’s continued failure to provide a compliant baseline programme and its shifting of dates is not acceptable to the NPHDB” and shows “a complete disregard for internationally recognised professional processes”.
He said that BAM has offered rooms that are “still incomplete”, and that “as of today not one room has been fully completed“.
Speaking before the committee, Mr Gunning added there’s “absolutely merit” in examining past performance when giving out State contracts, saying in the private sector it is “accepted that your performance is your dance ticket“.
He also told Fianna Fail TD John Lahart that he understands that EU procurement rules mean that a firm cannot be prevented from seeking tenders in the future.
