Health officials were told in September last year of a possible €400m overrun at the National Children's Hospital. The Government has consistently said it was only made aware of the final €450m overrun in November 2018 - a month after the Budget. However, newly released minutes from the Children’s Hospital Project and Programme Board meeting in September show Department of Health and HSE officials were told then about possible cost overruns of €391m. Sitting on that board were Department of Health Secretary General Jim Breslin and then acting HSE Director General John Connaghan. "If my Secretary General knew of a cost overrun, knew exactly what it was, and waited a couple of months (to tell me), then yes I would have questions in relation to that (and) would not be satisfied with that.

Source: Irish Examiner February 07, 2019 12:44 UTC