The opening of the National Children’s Hospital is set to be delayed yet again out to 2026.

Construction, which originally was budgeted at €800m in 2014, is now expected to cost €2.2bn.

In May a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting was told that staffing plans for the hospital can only start after the building is ready.

Irish Independent Ireland Editor Fionnan Sheahan told Newstalk there is no definitive date for completion.

"The hospital was supposed to be ready for patients in February of next year," he said.

"It's now being pushed out again. There isn't a definite date for completion but it's looking like it's heading towards 2026.

"This latest delay is outlined in a letter from the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to the coalition leaders.

"The board of the National Children's Hospital are due to appear before an Oireachtas committee next week."

Construction underway on the site of the new National Children's Hospital in Dublin. Image: BAM Ireland

Mr Sheahan said disputes are also contributing to the issues.

"There are a multitude of disputes between the contractor and the board around the costs," he said.

"We know there are several hundred different aspects of the contract that are being disputed there in terms of the construction firm claiming that things have cost more.

"So all that is going through arbitration.

"This is a project that was originally supposed to cost €500m to €700m," he added.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said in May that the hospital was 92% completed, adding that it would be "a source of great pride".

Last February the Government gave the green light for a budget of €2.24bn for the hospital, with then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar saying it would open in 2024.

Main image: Construction underway on the site of the new National Children's Hospital in Dublin. Image: BAM Ireland