Ministers asked why they didn't sound the alarm bells on spiralling costs of children's hospital

Ministers have been asked to explain why they did not sound alarm bells earlier about the spiralling costs for the national children's hospital, amid growing questions about the scandal.

Ministers asked why they didn't sound the alarm bells on spiralling costs of children's hospital

Ministers have been asked to explain why they did not sound alarm bells earlier about the spiralling costs for the national children's hospital, amid growing questions about the scandal.

Labour's Alan Kelly has expressed doubt about the timelines outlined by Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe and Health Minister Simon Harris and when both were informed about the huge bill.

Mr Donohue says he first became aware of concerns around the hospital costs last November while Mr Harris has admitted the problem first came to his attention last August. But Mr Kelly says this is not credible:

“It’s very hard to understand why the Minister for Public Expenditure wasn’t informed of a cost overrun of this scale considering it is one of the largest capital projects being undertaken by the State.

“This Minister has to bring a memo to cabinet every single month on all major items of expenditure so how come he wasn’t aware of this massive overspend and reporting it to cabinet. You’d have to question how his Department is actually functioning if this wasn’t happening?”

Mr Kelly has highlighted how a senior Department of Public Expenditure official was sitting on the Hospital Development Board since 2013. Contrary to the Government claims that that he was there in a 'personal capacity', Mr Kelly says there are protocols there that prove that department figures should have flagged concerns at an earlier stage to his minister or indeed the department secretary general.

Mr Donohoe has responded to concerns, saying that his official was bound by “responsibilities” to the board and not by reporting to him.

Opposition TDs are now lining up to ask why the cost overrun, amounting according to some to almost €2bn, was not flagged at an earlier period.

Mr Kelly also said: “In terms of governance, it is clear from the oversight board minutes that a cost overrun was first brought to the table in August 2017, yet line Ministers were only told in August 2018 and November 2018 that there was an overspend.

“Why wasn’t the Minister’s Department monitoring spend? Why didn’t either Simon Harris or Paschal Donohoe make in their business to keep themselves in the loop?”

Speaking this afternoon, Oireachtas Health Committee chairman Michael Harty also said the situation was “extraordinary”.

His committee is set to further probe the excessive costs for the hospital later this week.

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