LAST week the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), echoed the deep concerns of the NI Audit Office, in relation to the overspend on major infrastructure projects.
This appalling failure is exemplified by the delay to deliver a new maternity hospital for mothers and babies on the Royal Victoria Hospital site.
Nearly 25 years ago, maternity staff, mothers and women’s groups, began the long and tortuous journey to achieve a new regional maternity hospital in Belfast. It had been recognised for decades that the current building in Royal Victoria Hospital was old and ill equipped to deliver a quality maternity service.
In 1996, the cost of building this new maternity hospital was estimated to be £15 million.
In January 2000, the first minister of health Bairbre De Brun said: “My firm intention is to have the new hospital in place in five to six years’ time.”
After strong campaigning it was finally announced in 2010 that a new maternity hospital would be delivered at an estimated cost of £49m, with the top three floors of the ill-fated Critical Care Centre being used to provide maternity beds at a cost of £8.2m.
Figures from NI Audit Office have revealed that the cost of the new maternity hospital is now estimated at £73.9m – more than 50 per cent (£25m) higher than 2010 estimates and already five years behind schedule. Furthermore, the state-of-the art £150m building in the grounds of Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital remains mainly closed to the public eight years after it was completed.
This is shameful.
What is wrong with the Department of Health and Northern Ireland Executive that they cannot build a new maternity hospital on time and within budget?
It is clear that the budget overruns, procurement problems and delays which plagued the new Belfast City Hospital in the 1980s, remain evident today.
As a dad of three premature babies, my wife and I have witnessed the miraculous work of the staff in the Royal Maternity Hospital, the inspirational medical and maternity staff in RVH deserve better, mothers and babies deserve better and the public deserve better.
TIM ATTWOOD
Belfast BT11
Witness of Jesus is spirit of prophecy
Danny Treacy (October 15) writes: “The point here is that we either accept the Bible as God’s inerrant word or we don’t. If we try and place our own interpretation (as has been done throughout the centuries) then we acknowledge that an omnipotent, omniscient God was not the guiding influence. This erodes the very foundation of Christianity.”
Our finite minds and intellect can barely scratch the surface of the mysteries being presented to us in God’s word. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways, declares Yahweh. For the heavens are as high above earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts.”
The spirit of the age persistently sows multiple seeds of doubt around Christian truth, with a common attack the apparent impossibility of reconciling divine revelation with human authorship of the bible. In a riposte to this tactic, St Peter asserts the importance of eyewitness testimony: “When we told you about the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not slavishly repeating cleverly invented myths; no, we had seen his majesty with our own eyes.”
A few sentences later St Peter continues: “For no prophecy ever came from human initiative. When people spoke for God it was the Holy Spirit that moved them.”
Concluding words at the very end of New Testament repeat St Peter’s theme – ‘The witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’
TJ HARDY
Belfast BT5
Areas of natural beauty under threat
On Monday night councillors on Newry Mourne and Down District Council voted to ask the minister for infrastructure to hold a public inquiry into the massive wind farms in the Mourne area of outstanding natural beauty. The decision to ask for a public inquiry has only prolonged the anxiety of the local community which they represent in the most disappointing way. This leads to some questions needing to be asked. Are the main political parties out of touch with the people? Has the movement of planning to local authorities failed?
The decision is now in the minster’s hands. I hope she will be consistent with decisions she has already made concerning wind farms and areas of natural beauty by refusing permission.
In Newry Mourne and Down our areas of natural beauty are coming under threat like never before. The Mourne area of outstanding natural beauty is for saving and not for sale.
JAMES BOYLAN
Warrenpoint, Co Down
Another thumbs up for united Ireland
Unionists are fanatically against a united Ireland and it is ironic that they have been major players in advancing the cause of a united Ireland. Brexit has caused some separation in Northern Ireland between Britain and the average British citizen knows that Northern Ireland costs the British government more than Britain saved by leaving the EEC. With all the financial scandals in Northern Ireland and now the wind turbines, the average British person will be thinking they are not satisfied with their financial deal and now they are taking more than their fair share and unionists being the dominant party will be held to blame. Another thumbs up for a united Ireland, even more so now with economy is being destroyed by Covid-19.
LIAM ARCHIBALD
Draperstown, Co Derry
Risky habit
It is a pity that Bishop Treanor while lecturing on hygiene terms did not mention ‘the sign of peace’ handshake at Mass. Over the years thousands of various infections have been ‘passed’ among mass-goers in the same way as the risky habit has done socially.
PHILIP MERCER
Belfast BT9
