It seems we will have to wait even longer for a much-needed, new children’s hospital.
The hospital was originally said to open in just a few years time, but the deadline has now been pushed back to August 2022.
According to the Irish Times, the nine-month delay was announced yesterday due to an unexpected rise in cost.
The project was relocated to St. James’s Hospital and previously estimated to cost just €790 million.
However, the projected budget has now almost doubled.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed that the hospital will now cost €1.433 billion, and it may rise in cost even further during its construction.
Construction for the hospital began almost a year ago but has been on hold until the Cabinet’s recent approval of the project’s increased costs.
Varadkar also said that an investigation will be launched concerning exactly why the new budget has become so expensive.
But with high expense comes high quality, he reassured.
The state-of-the-art facility will be equipped with modern technology and an excellent staff.
The Taoiseach promised the wait will be well worth it, for it will be one of the best children’s hospitals in the world.
