Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced that BAM, the developers of the long-awaited National Children’s Hospital, have assured him that the facility will be completed by June 2025. This declaration comes amid growing concerns that the hospital’s completion could be delayed until 2026.
During an appearance on RTÉ’s This Week, Minister Donnelly revealed that he had met with the global chief executive of Royal BAM, the parent company of BAM Ireland. Following their discussion, he expressed optimism about the project’s timeline. “We had a pretty open and frank discussion; I hope it was a productive discussion,” Donnelly stated.
He noted that BAM is collaborating with the National Paediatric Development Board to present the government with a comprehensive work program and timeline that both parties can agree upon. “They have committed to the June deadline,” he reiterated.
Minister Donnelly highlighted a key concern regarding the pace of construction, specifically the number of workers on-site. He emphasized the need for increased manpower to expedite the project’s completion. “They simply have not had enough workers on site; there have not been enough people finishing off that hospital,” he said. The minister made it clear that he urged the BAM chief executive to allocate more resources to the site.
When pressed about whether BAM had agreed to increase the workforce, Donnelly confirmed that the company’s chief executive stood firm on the June completion deadline.
Additionally, the minister announced that the commissioning works, which must be completed before patients can be transferred to the new hospital, will be expedited. These works will be carried out prior to BAM handing over the facility to the State, ensuring that the hospital can begin operating as soon as possible.
The National Children’s Hospital has faced numerous delays and budget overruns, drawing scrutiny from various stakeholders. The government’s commitment to meeting the June deadline is seen as a crucial step toward providing essential pediatric services to children in need.
With the assurance from BAM and increased efforts to enhance the workforce, officials and the public alike are hopeful that the long-anticipated opening of the National Children’s Hospital will finally take place in mid-2025, fulfilling a vital need for specialized healthcare in Ireland.