Still not clear what health projects will be scaled back

PASCHAL Donohoe has sketched out where at least some of the money to cover the ballooning cost of the Children’s Hospital would come from – but came in for criticism for not giving clear details about the €24million it is said will come from the Health budget.

The Public Expenditure Minister said much of the money would come from projects that were paused due to delays. Among the areas where savings could be made are, he said: ÷ Non-payment of €27million towards an A5 motorway upgrade in Northern Ireland. ÷ Deferred investment of €10million for the National Forensic Science Laboratory, as predicted in the Irish Daily Mail yesterday. ÷ Diversion of €10million from the Department of Education that had been earmarked for higher education facilities at the National Children’s Hospital. ÷ Delays in spending €16million in Regeneration Funds under Project Ireland 2040. ÷ The ‘re-profiling’ of €4million in investments at the Department of Communications. ÷ Savings of €3million in flood-risk works at the Office of Public Works.

However, Labour Health spokesman Alan Kelly called for more detail on exactly what health projects were going to be delayed.

‘The Government has been sending mixed messages on many long-awaited capital projects such as 60 additional beds in UHL.

‘This hospital is consistently the most overcrowded in the State and it is time for Fine Gael to explain [if] this project will actually go ahead,’ he said.