Enterprise Ireland, in association with the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, is inviting registration for a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event for the construction of the new children’s hospital. The event will take place at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham from 8am – 12 noon on 25 October 2017 and is free of charge.

This ‘Meet the Buyer’ event offers companies of all sizes the opportunity to meet with the new children’s hospital contractors – BAM Building Ltd, Jones Engineering Group and Mercury Engineering Ireland – and the chance to pitch for business. Construction, engineering, mechanical and electrical companies, as well as companies in related sectors, are invited to attend.

Face-to-face meetings between the buyers and potential suppliers will take place on the day, enabling companies to present themselves with the aim of picking up business. The meetings will be held in a ‘speed dating’ format and each supplier will have five minutes to make their pitch to their chosen buyer(s) on a first come, first served basis.

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Attendees can also visit the business zone where the Department of Social Protection, Construction Industry Federation, Dublin City Local Enterprise Office, IntertradeIreland and Enterprise Ireland will be available to provide information and support.  Full information on the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board’s Community Benefit Progamme will also be available on the day. This Programme has been developed to ensure that the building of the new children’s hospital is a catalyst for regeneration and sustainable economic development for the Dublin 8 area and beyond.

The 12-acre site for the new children’s hospital on the St James’s Hospital campus has been fully cleared and is now ready for the laying of foundations. The size of Dundrum Shopping Centre and the length of Grafton Street, the new hospital will have four acres of outdoor gardens and external space, as well as 380 individual inpatient rooms, each having their own en-suite and a bed for parents to sleep near their sick child.

Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Enterprise Ireland is committed to widening the access for Irish construction services companies to bid for significant building contracts. ‘Meet the Buyer’ events have proven to be beneficial to both parties, where Irish suppliers have the chance to be involved and gain experience in the delivery of world class building infrastructure, which itself builds strong domestic capability. This opens up opportunities to Irish construction services, allowing them to successfully compete for complex, large-scale projects internationally. I strongly encourage Irish construction suppliers and businesses to make the most of this opportunity to pitch for business”.

John Pollock, Project Director, National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, said: “We are delighted to work with Enterprise Ireland on this ‘Meet the Buyer’ event.  The construction of the new children’s hospital is one of the most significant in the history of healthcare in Ireland.  This is a beautifully designed hospital, which will enable those who work in it to enhance clinical outcomes for children and young people for generations to come. We hope that this event will give potential suppliers the opportunity to understand the project in greater detail and allow some of them to become part of this great flagship national project.

“In addition, the innovative social clauses with the main contracts, and all ensuing sub-contracts, form part of a pioneering Community Benefit clause in which the National Paediatric Hospital Board seeks to optimise local employment and supply chain opportunities arising from the construction of the children’s hospital”.

Registration for the Meet the Buyer event for the construction of the new children’s hospital is now open on the Enterprise Ireland website here.