The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the terms of reference of a review into the rising costs of the new national children's hospital are to be changed "to find individuals accountable".

The move followed criticisms after it was revealed the PwC review was told to stop short of finding individual culpability.

The terms of reference had said the examination should establish the sequence of events that led to the cost increases and identify key areas of focus - but not suggest blame for any individual involved.

The terms of reference had been slammed by members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Chairman Sean Fleming said it meant you can blame the system, but not any individual.

Labour TD Alan Kelly, meanwhile, called the terms of reference 'unacceptable'.

The PAC has heard the total cost of the hospital project will be around €1.7bn.

The Taoiseach said he discussed the changes with Health Minister Simon Harris | File photo 

The estimated cost for the hospital - which will be located on the campus of St James's Hospital in Dublin - has risen from an original estimate of €650m.

While the chair of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board, responsible for overseeing the building of the hospital, stepped down from his position on Saturday.

Tom Costello said it was due to concerns about "reputational damage" that the ongoing commentary about the increased cost of the national children's hospital was causing.

Speaking on RTÉ radio on Sunday, Mr Varadkar said: "We've looked at the terms of reference, and the terms of reference will be revised to enable PwC to find individuals accountable or to identify individuals who made particular mistakes if that's what they find."

Admitting this was different to what was announced last week, he said: "Having considered it and having talked about it with the Minister for Health, we're making that revision to the terms of reference to enable the investigation to find individuals accountable if they're able to do that".