Almost £20m in additional costs due to problems at two Belfast Health Trust buildings has been described as “such terrible waste”.
Newly-discovered issues with the Belfast maternity hospital could add almost £10m to the project’s spiralling costs, while the amount spent on repairs and rehousing patients at the Acute Mental Health facility has now reached £9.4m.
The Department of Health, which provides funding to the trust, has been approached for comment.
Daniel McCrossan, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee, said: “We can’t see such waste, such terrible waste, within our public sector and then still go to London and demand more [money].”
The maternity building on the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) site is already tens of millions of pounds over budget and more than a decade behind schedule. The new costs mean the project will exceed £100m.
It is understood the latest problem at the maternity hospital has been caused by chemical flushing aimed at dealing with the original issue of bacteria in the water system.
The flushing process has caused damage to the pipework, with more than 2,200 defective valves needing replaced.
A report seen by the estimates a repair bill of £7.8m, with an option of 24-hour contractor working bringing that close to £10m. Work to replace the valves is now under way.