Robots to deliver meals in new children’s hospital – but half of rooms still not readyCompletion has been delayed 18 times and for 40 months
David Gunning of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board told the committee this morning, and a new date has not yet been set.
Tánaiste Simon Harris said that it was a “welcome change” in the delivery of the National Children’s Hospital to get “early access” to certain floors to get fitted.
When asked if it’s unlikely that patients will be treated in the hospital in 2026, Mr Harris said: “I don’t think we should in any way remove the pressure from those who have the responsibility for completing this hospital.”
“I’m not willing to release or relieve the pressure in any way, shape or form, on the contractor that has a responsibility for delivering that hospital, but we are within touching distance now.
“We have to make sure that every day that pressure is maintained to get this hospital completed, because it is going to make a transformational difference in terms of children’s healthcare in Ireland.”
He said the Minister for Health shares his view, “we need every single day to see progress made in relation to this hospital,” he added.
“Early access is now being provided. I think the phrase early access is a little ironic, but that access is being provided to rooms and floors as we progress.”
“If you think about it, generally, you’d have a hospital completed, then a significant commissioning period of time after the completion. So while any further wait for the hospital is not desirable, I do want to reassure people that, from briefings I’ve had with both the Minister for Health and the HSE, that there is now commissioning work going on in the hospital in real time.
“I think that will make a very practical difference, that in many ways, will enable the hospital to actually be handed over and start seeing patients in a quicker way.”
The Oireachtas health committee will hear today that robots will deliver meals to children when the new €2.2bn national children’s hospital is fully functioning – but just 2,854 of its 5,728 rooms have so far been given the green light.
Early access is still only granted to just three of the seven levels.
The committee will hear more updates from David Gunning, chief officer of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, who says the completion has been delayed 18 times and for 40 months.
Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) chief executive Lucy Nugent hopes to open the hospital around “seven months after we receive the keys” and points to its potential as a space “where robots quietly glide down hallways delivering meals and supplies”.
Just 2,854 of the 5,728 rooms have been validated as meeting the contract standard
In his update, Mr Gunning will also say as of December 19, the contractors BAM provided partial access, allowing operational commissioning works on level six, which is now complete.
“On February 24 and March 6, BAM provided early access to the lower ground level 0,” Mr Gunning will say.
“The works completed on these three levels to date comprise clinical cleaning and the delivery, installation, and commissioning of over 5,500 pieces of medical, non-medical, and ICT equipment,” the health committee will hear.
However, the development board is waiting for access to level one and two – which feature operating theatres and critical care departments – crucial to meeting the seven-month commissioning timeline.
The much-delayed National Children’s Hospital. Photo: Collins
Today’s News in 90 Seconds, Wednesday March 25
BAM should be now delivering in excess of 400 rooms weekly. As of March 20, some 3,726 of the 5,728 rooms have been offered by BAM to the design team to validate.
However, as of that date, just 2,854 of the 5,728 rooms have been validated as meeting the contract standard, according to Mr Gunning.
A meeting was held in Dublin earlier this month with BAM’s board chair, Ruud Joosten, to receive assurances that it will meet the end of April timeline.
Based on BAM’s delays, the hospital board will deduct liquidated damages of more than €40m
“During the meeting, BAM committed to provide a resource-loaded close-out plan” to meet the timeline, the committee will hear.
Based on BAM’s delays, the hospital board will deduct liquidated damages of more than €40m.
By the end of February, 3,505 claims were made by BAM, 3,388 of which it valued at €899.6m. However, when 3,141 of the claims were independently assessed, the value was put at €53.16m.
In her address, Ms Nugent will say the waiting time for spinal surgery is now an average of 4.2 months, down from 5.9 months in December 2024.
The average waiting time for an outpatient appointment was 9.7 months in December 2024, but has dropped to 3.9 months.
Ronald McDonald House is complete and will provide accommodation for 52 families of young patients each night – more than double that of the current building in Crumlin.