‘BAM need to turn up and do the work’ on children’s hospital, minister says Mon, 14 Sep, 2026 – 14:38Gráinne Ní Aodha
The health minister has urged the new leadership team at construction firm BAM to take an “on-the-ground” approach to completing the long-delayed National Children’s Hospital.
BAM was asked for a revised completion date and updates on outstanding matters ahead of a deadline at the end of August, which is not yet in place.
The build has missed 19 deadlines and costs have soared to an estimated €2.2bn.
It comes as the executive director of BAM Ireland, Alasdair Henderson, is due to leave the role after four years at its helm.
John Wilkinson, who is the chief operating officer of BAM’s UK and Ireland division, will take over from Mr Henderson in an acting capacity until an appointment is made.
Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said she “expects” Mr Wilkinson “to have a very much on-the-ground presence in order to finish the hospital according to the contractual standard and according to the original timeline which has long since passed”.
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She said the number of people working at the hospital remains “very considerably down on what it should be” during August, and a number of fixtures needed to be redone — including the floors in the surgical theatres and the ventilation system.
“These things just simply shouldn’t happen in the management of a project of this scale and complexity. Those matters are BAM’s responsibility. I refuse to put a date on it — BAM need to turn up and do the work.
“It is BAM’s responsibility to make sure the people are there, to finish the project and finish it properly, on time, without having to repeat anything. This sounds like a very, very basic comment, and it is, but that’s where we are.
“I expect the new leadership team to make sure that those things are done appropriately so we can get this hospital open, safely, for the children of Ireland.”
BAM has been contacted for comment.
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