The spiralling cost of Ireland's National Children's Hospital is set to continue after a recent discussion.

During a meeting between the government and the HSE, it was revealed that further additional costs have been submitted by the contractor. Worries have also been voiced over further delays for the project.

The project, currently estimated to cost €650 million, was then priced at €1.73 billion and now looks set to increase further.

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Sinn Féin's David Cullinane slammed the government and called for greater political accountability.

"Back in December we were told the maximum cost of the National Children's Hospital would be at a maximum of €1.7bn. It is clear now, as it was then, that this was aspiration not reality," Deputy Cullinane said.

"When my colleague Louise O'Reilly raised the matter of overspending with the Taoiseach, he seemed to think this was normal behaviour of which the State could do nothing about – nothing could be further from the truth.

"Overruns from this project will lead to cuts in the capital budget for health and other projects will lose out as a result. We need to ensure that does not happen.

"We need stronger transparency and greater accountability when it comes to this project."

(CM/JG)