"Nobody could accurately" predict the final price of the National Children's Hospital, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said, amid concerns the final figure could top €2 billion.
Speaking at the opening of the Ballyboden primary care centre in Dublin, the Fianna Fáil TD for Wicklow accepted concerns over the rising cost of the hospital.
He said the Government is giving all support possible to the board of the hospital to keep costs down, noting that of BAM's €750m worth of additional claims just 2% have to date been accepted.
However, asked to give a potential figure for how much the children's hospital could ultimately cost, Minister Donnelly said "it's not helpful for anybody to be speculating".
He said in his view Sinn Féin is "used as a pawn" in terms of its comments that the final cost of the project could exceed €2bn, and said "no one can say right now what the final figure will be".
Meanwhile, during the same media event, Mr Donnelly responded to questions over whether BAM should receive future State contracts by saying a company's "previous performance" must be considered before a project is awarded.
He said "first and foremost we need to make sure the children's hospital gets finished" and that BAM is "perfectly within its rights to make these claims" for additional funds.
He added: "What I will say is I raised this [future contracts] with Cabinet earlier this week.
"It is important in the awarding of future contracts, and any large infrastructure contracts by the State, that the State is allowed fully incorporate previous performance.
"I say that without prejudice to any contractor doing any piece of work.
"But if any of us were asking someone to build an extension or build a conservatory or a wall, you would look to the reputation and the previous performance of that builder before you would hire them in."
