TIMELINE OF THE COST CRISIS

APRIL 2017

Cabinet approves children’s hospital project with a budget of €983million.

MAY 2017

Dublin Fire Brigade issues fire safety certificate subject to four conditions, including a requirement to install a sprinkler system on all floors.

JUNE 2017

Grenfell fire disaster

SEPTEMBER 2017

Increased fire safety measures including 6,000 additional sprinklers being installed at an additional cost of €60m.

MARCH 2018

John Pollock (project director of the children’s hospital) tells the group that agreements with contractors were ‘unsatisfactory’

JUNE 2018

Mr Pollock, pictured right, tells senior officials at the Department of Health including Jim Breslin (secretary general) and Tracey Conroy (assistant secretary, ) and the HSE including John Connaghan (then director of the HSE). ) and Dean Sullivan (deputy director general for strategy HSE) that the new hospital was facing ‘cost challenges and pressures’ arising from construction inflation and that delays of four months were also expected. Minister Harris not informed.

AUGUST 2018

Harris received details on the issue with mention of ‘a possible increase in the construction budget’

SEPTEMBER 2018

Harris makes no mention of overspend when asked a parliamentary question about spending on the project in the Dáil by FF’s Barry Cowen.

OCTOBER 17 2018

Fionnuala Duffy from Health seeking a meeting with Barry O’Brien from Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (DPER) to brief them on current position and potential issues relating to Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP).

NOVEMBER 9 2018

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe are briefed on the overspend at the National Children’s Hospital by Minister Harris.

NOVEMBER 15 2018

Still no briefing with DPER despite a further emailed request from Health.

NOVEMBER 19 2018

Fionnuala Duffy approaches David Moloney (Assistant Secretary at DPER) mentioning overrun of €450m

20 NOVEMBER 2018

Moloney replies and copies Duffy’s line manager (Tracey Conroy) saying while Jim Breslin made mention of cost overrun during Budget talks, this was the first time €450m has been mentioned.

NOVEMBER 20 2018

Conroy says her Dept (Health) has been attempting to meet with DPER since Sept and that the Taoiseach’s Department will be briefed tomorrow (Nov 21).

NOVEMBER 21 2018

As Taoiseach becomes aware of the overrun, Barry O’Brien says Health needs to offer further explanation as to how costs have arisen and how it has managed risks.

NOVEMBER 22 2018

Health sends a detailed brief on cost increases, pointing to increase in construction costs. Meeting finally takes place the following day.