Fianna Fail is calling on ministers and officials to take responsibility over the rising construction costs for the new National Children's Hospital in Dublin.

The State is facing an additional €300 million bill for the development at the St Jame's site.

Spokesperson on Health, Billy Kelleher, said the failure to give leadership has led to additional time delays.

He said: "The minimum cost of the new hospital will now reach more than €1.2 billion euro when ancillary costs are included.

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"That's the vast majority of the HSE's capital budget swallowed up. It needs to be spent, but what about the additional acute hospital beds that are needed around the country to stem the ED overcrowding crisis?

"Ireland needs a national Children's Hospital. We cannot have a situation, nearly 100 years after the foundation of the State, where the sickest of our children are being treated in sub-standard facilities.

"It's now very unlikely that the hospital will be open and treating children by 2021, despite what the Minister and his officials promise.

"The Minister must urgently bring the memo to cabinet and obtain approval to begin construction, and also seek additional funds from Minister O'Donoghue to fund the other infrastructure projects needed."

(CD/MH)