The new national children’s hospital could be delayed now by as much as two years.

On the eve of the Cabinet rubber stamping its location the health minister’s admitting the plan to open it in 2016 will not now be met.

A site in or around St James’s hospital in Dublin with a link to the Coombe maternity hospital is expected to be approved and announced tomorrow.

Minister Reilly’s also denying claims the cost of changing from the Mater site could be as much as 140 million: