Diane Dodds, the DUP Health Spokesperson, said:
“I warmly welcome the announcement by the Northern Ireland Executive that work is finally set to commence on the new Children’s Hospital at the Royal Victoria Hospital site. This significant investment will bring first class healthcare for our children, with state-of-the-art equipment and a modern environment designed to better support young patients and their families. Most importantly, it will help deliver better outcomes for children who need care here.
While we can build the best facilities, it is the world class expertise, compassion, and dedication of the staff that will ensure this hospital reaches its full potential. We are truly blessed with incredible staff who dedicate their lives to caring for our children and they too deserve the best environment in which to work.
However, while today is a good day, it must also be a day for reflection. This project was first announced in 2013 with an estimated cost of £250 million. Now, 12 years later, that figure has skyrocketed to over £600 million, with projections suggesting it could be even more. This is a stark example of the failures within the Trust to deliver major projects in a timely and cost-effective manner. The consequences of these failures are felt by the public, with taxpayers’ money that could have been used elsewhere now swallowed up by spiralling costs.
I sincerely hope that this project progresses without any further delays or issues. This is an investment in our children and in the children of the future, and ensuring they have the best care possible available to them in Northern Ireland.”