Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2014
500. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 351 of 30 September 2014, if he will confirm that St. Joseph's Hospital, Ardee, County Louth, will receive promised funding of €750,000 to facilitate a capital build project to ensure the hospital's compliance with Health Information and Quality Authority standards. [48289/14]
View answerAs indicated in Minister Varadkar's reply of 30 September 2014, any proposed capital build project must be considered in the context of the HSE's multi-annual capital programme. All community nursing units (CNUs) including those delivered in recent years will require some level of capital funding in order to meet compliance standards. Funding will range from a few hundred euro for the more recently delivered CNUs to more considerable sums for older buildings and protected buildings such as St Joseph's Ardee. The Executive is required to prioritise infrastructure projects within its overall capital envelope taking into account the existing capital commitments and costs of completion over the period. The method and timescale for the delivery of health care infrastructure is a dynamic process which is constantly evolving to take account of changing circumstances, including the feasibility of implementation.
The HSE has submitted its draft Capital Plan for the period 2015-2019 which has been approved by Minister Varadkar. It also requires the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform which will be sought shortly. Although the Plan is multi-annual it requires annual approval and consent. Details of the plan will be published by the Executive following its approval.
