Children’s hospital project chief resigns

Second departure amid spiralling row over costs

THE controversy engulfing the over-budget National Children’s Hospital has claimed a second casualty with the resignation of project director John Pollock.

This follows the departure of Tom Costello, who resigned as chairman of the development board amid a widespread backlash over the cost soaring from an original €450million estimate, which could yet be quadrupled.

In a statement, Mr Pollock – who made repeated appearances before Dáil committees looking into the cost overrun – said it was appropriate to leave after ‘milestones achieved over the last five years’.

He described his involvement the hospital development as ‘hugely satisfying’ and said he was very proud of what had been achieved. ‘The project has now ‘Milestones’: John Pollock moved into the final phase of construction and with this under way, I believe it is an opportune point for me to move from the project,’ he added. ‘I plan to do so later this summer.’

Mr Pollock was appointed project director in 2014, leading a team to design, build and equip the new hospital plus two satellite centres for paediatric outpatients at Tallaght and Blanchardstown, as well as a Research and Innovation Centre.

The design team was appointed in August 2014 and a planning application was lodged a year later. It had resulted in ‘a clean planning permission’, he added, in April 2016. That same year, ‘a rigorous construction procurement process’ got under way, he asserted, with tenders issued for the main, mechanical, electrical and elevator contracts.

Successful bidders were identified in February 2017 and the final project brief and business case was approved by Government, enabling Phase A of the build to commence.

However, Mr Pollock made no mention of the runaway costs issue, continuing: ‘In December 2018, the next major milestone was achieved with approval for the instruction of the Phase B works and the final phase of construction.’

The new hospital is set to be completed in 2022 and will open its doors a year later, he added.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath welcomed his departure, describing it as the ‘one tendering process that Mr Pollock appears to have got right’.

‘What is galling to read, however, are the allusions Mr Pollock makes in his resignation statement to significant milestones being achieved and the operation of a “rigorous” procurement process for constructing the building,’ he said.

‘This is exactly and precisely what did not happen. Mr Pollock assured us all in 2014 that the hospital would up and running by end of 2018.

‘Now he expects us to believe that it will be open by 2023. This is completely farcical.’ Mr McGrath added that there is an ‘incredible persistence in repeating absolute nonsense about how well the project is going’. senan.molony@dailymail.ie

‘This is completely farcical’