National Children’s Hospital won’t treat patients until 2026

The National Children's Hospital has been delayed 15 times

The hospital has faced 15 delays and is set to cost a whopping €2.24 billion.

The project, which has been met with major delays due to the pandemic and budget issues, was earmarked for a 2025 launch.

This week, officials revealed that the building work will not be completed until September 2025.

However, officials explained that this means the new optimum date is now June 2026.

Children’s Health Ireland Chief Executive Lucy Nugent stated: “The best optimum date would be the end of June of 2026.”

Nugent explained that there is a "nine-month commissioning period once the building of the hospital is complete."

This is the fifteenth delay the project has faced in just four years.

During Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil, Simon Harris accepted responsibility for the project.

He told Aontu’s Peadar Toibin: "Of course I am responsible. I am responsible for bringing the decision to cabinet. I am going to be responsible for a world class facility."

"Nobody gets everything right in politics…as you sit over there and correct everybody’s homework."

Harris added, "I am also going to be responsible for a world class facility, we are going to be responsible for transforming children’s healthcare."

The original agreed-upon cost of the National Children’s Hospital was around €980 million in 2017. Now, due to a number of issues, the final price is looking to be above €2 billion.