The construction company of the National Children’s Hospital has rejected allegations it is holding the State to ransom.
Minister Donnelly said it is the view of the board that BAM is “resourcing the project at less than half of what is required”. However they added that in May an independent conciliator cited the level of design changes by the NPHDB as “by far the biggest factor in the increased costs and delays to the project.”
In response to this, BAM told RTE News said it is “fully confident in the quality of the construction work for this world class hospital”. It will see Crumlin and Temple Street hospitals replaced as the local hospitals for children who live in the city and within the M50. It said most of the cost increases were down to simple underestimation of the real costs. Other factors like VAT, delays, changes in building regulations which meant plans had to be changed, were partly responsible too.