Minister for Health Simon Harris has told the Oireachtas health committee that he remained unaware of the scale of emerging cost overruns on the national children’s hospital for almost a year. Mr Harris has come under increasing pressure over the rising cost of the hospital project, which is now forecast to come in at least €1.7 billion. Mr Harris said he shared his colleague Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe’s wish that he would have learned earlier of the size of the overrun earlier. Mr Harris added on Wednesday: “He’s entirely correct. “But the first question that would have happened when he gave the heads up was how much?”She was adamant that Mr Harris had accepted responsibility.

Source: The Irish Times February 06, 2019 11:03 UTC