Much of the money spent to date has gone on hiring experts on design, project management and business management to work out the detail of the 445-bed hospital, which will go to An Bord Pleanala in early 2011.
The figure is said to be more than €16m for the controversial €650m national children's hospital even though there are major questions over whether it will be built in the proposed location.
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Disagreements on its planned location at the Mater Hospital in Dublin's north inner city have resurfaced in recent weeks, but Dáil Health Minister Mary Harney insisted - through a spokesperson - that the location would not change - despite continuing misgivings about the plan.
However if planning permission is granted next spring tenders for builders will have to be issued, and construction will begin this time next year.
There are also concerns about having to raise €110m from charitable sources to co-fund the contract and also about the size and access to the Mater site and about the lack of any work done so far on sorting out how it will be run as three rival hospitals on one place and the development board is also locked into various contracts worth nearly €30m which would have legal repercussions if the entire plan is scrapped.
(BMcC/GK)
