£50k gas pipe repair bill for trouble-hit Belfast maternity hospital that still isn't open nine years after it was supposed to be finished, reveals Health Minister Nesbitt
Gas problems at a trouble-hit maternity hospital that still isn’t open nine years after it was supposed to be ready will cost £50,000 to fix.
In a written statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said he had been assured issues with medical gas pipework would be sorted “as swiftly as possible” and would not further delay the project.
The hospital, at Belfast’s Royal Victoria site, is already well over budget and almost 10 years behind schedule after numerous delays, but was hoped to finally open next year.
After the Belfast Trust took possession of the building in March, however, tests showed high levels of bacteria in its water system, leading to further setbacks.
Last week, Mr Nesbitt revealed that a new problem with gas pipework had been identified.
Providing an update today, he said he knew MLAs shared his concerns about the new hospital.
He added: “I am advised that the medical gas pipe issue was raised by Belfast Trust in November 2023 as part of the contractual handover process for the building.
“It was detailed in the handover documentation as a “caveat”, which is in essence a defect which was known at the point of handover.
“In recent days I have again met the Trust and it has assured me the issue with the medical gas pipework will be remedied as swiftly as possible.
“I have been advised the cost to resolve the issue will be approximately £50,000.”
Mr Nesbitt added: “Although the defect had been identified for some time, the Belfast Trust and departmental officials had only recently received a report into the options for correcting the problem.
“I have been informed that the work to test the water systems regrettably, but unavoidably, contributed to the delay in the production of this report.
“The trust has advised that they will work to ensure that the issue is fixed as quickly as possible and that it will not add any further to the delays.
“While my frustrations remain, the primary focus must be on satisfactorily resolving the water supply issues and securing the opening of the new maternity hospital as expeditiously as possible.”
A Northern Ireland Audit Office report earlier this year said the unit was originally expected to be completed by the end of 2015.