SORRY , BUT WE DON’T BELIEVE YOU PASCHAL
Opposition parties slam minister over denials on children’s Hospital overspend
OPPOSITION parties have rounded on Paschal Donohoe – and don’t believe his explanation for when he found out about the runaway Children’s Hospital costs.
Labour laid down the gauntlet yesterday and said it has “turned into a full-blown crisis for the Government” that may require resignations.
Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein are also demanding answers from the Public Expenditure Minister.
Mr Donohoe claims he did not know until November about the hundreds of millions the project slipped over budget.
It has been confirmed a senior official from his department knew basic costs had hit €1.4billion in October, while Simon Harris was aware in August.
The Government has claimed the officer was acting in a personal capacity, while during Leaders’ Questions, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the official’s first duty was to the board, not the minister.
But Labour health spokesman Alan Kelly produced a document yesterday showing Mr Donohoe had to be made aware.
The then Department of Finance’s Circular 12 from 2010 states a senior public official on a board must report to his minister. Mr Kelly said: “The timelines set out in relation to who knew what and when on the children’s hospital for me don’t add up.
“Paschal Donohoe in particular has an issue... either he was told or this department is very dysfunctional. Either is bad for this Government.”
Fianna Fail’s Barry Cowen added: “I find it quite hard to credit, hard to believe, hard to understand if you appoint somebody to a board you wouldn’t be conversing with him as to the workings of that board.”
Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty said he found it “hard to believe” Mr Donohoe didn’t know the true scale of the cost overruns.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Simon Harris has appointed a new chairman of the National Children’s Hospital Development Board.
Fred Barry, a former chair of the National Roads Authority, takes over from Tom Costello who resigned on Saturday.