Children's Hospital Dublin Delayed Again, Costs Soar

0:00I'm Cory with the story, and you've been listening to Europe News today, AI-powered European coverage. The new children's hospital in Dublin faces yet another delay, marking the 19th Miss deadline for substantial completion. The lead developer, BAM, confirmed this week they won't meet the April 30 target, and no new date has been set. Cost for the project have soared from an initial 650 million euros to over 2.2 billion euros. Originally slated to finish in August 2022, the hospital has seen repeated setbacks from the contractor. Earlier this week, on March 24, BAM admitted the latest date won't happen, though they expect some areas to be ready by month's end. Officials are now formally asking for an updated timeline, with a response due in 15 working days. Reactions poured in from lawmakers and hospital leaders, who called the news frustrating, but not entirely unexpected, given the track record. Americans highlighted the massive taxpayer expense and contract flaws, urging better oversight

1:03to avoid future issues. The board is pushing ahead, requesting BAM's revised schedule to pin down the next target. After construction wraps, a seven-month commissioning phase will follow before patients arrive. Even if opening slips into winter, teams are exploring options like studying flu patterns in the Southern Hemisphere and consulting other hospitals. They'll assess risks closely to ensure a safe start as soon as possible.