Donnelly stated that construction firm Bam has assured him the hospital will be finished by June 2025.

The project has faced numerous delays and significant cost increases, with the initial estimate of €650 million in 2014 rising to €2.2 billion. Concerns have also been raised that the completion date could extend into 2026.

Once construction is completed, there will be a six-to-eight-month commissioning phase before the hospital is ready to accept patients.

Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week programme, Donnelly said he recently met with the CEO of Royal Bam, Bam Ireland’s parent company, and received a firm commitment to meet the June deadline. “We had an open and frank discussion, and I hope it was productive,” Donnelly said. “They are working with the National Paediatric Development Board to finalize a work programme and timeline that both sides can agree on, and which Bam will stand by.”

Donnelly also expressed concerns about staffing levels, revealing that he had requested more workers on-site to accelerate the project. “There simply haven’t been enough workers on-site to finish the hospital,” he said. “I made it clear to the CEO that we need to see more resources allocated to get the job done.”