Bam submits €983 million claim as Ireland’s children’s hospital project faces delays and defects

The new national children’s hospital in Dublin, whose construction started in 2016, has experienced cost growth from €987 million to €2.24 billion and repeated schedule slips. Bam, the main contractor, has submitted substantiated claims for approximately €983 million, which the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) is contesting through the contractual dispute process. The board’s chief officer, David Gunning, attributes the primary delay to Bam’s continued failure to adequately resource the project and to inadequate quality assurance, resulting in extensive rework of doors, bathroom pods and operating-theatre floors.

Over 199,700 defects have been addressed, yet around 2,000 remain, and only 5,017 of 5,728 rooms meet contract standards. The employer’s representative has so far approved about €110 million, about 7 percent of the claim, while 15 percent of payments are being held back due to the absence of a compliant programme. Committee chairman John Brady warned that no firm opening date exists, underscoring the uncertainty for patients, families and healthcare staff.