Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 October 2018
270. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of the €85 million capital allocation in information services and related services for health agencies, that is, Vote 38 of the budget 2019 expenditure report within his Department for 2019 by specific project; the projects that will be commenced in 2019; the projects that will be completed in 2019, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44557/18]
View answerThe Capital ICT provision in 2019 of €85m will fund a large range of projects that support my Departments eHealth strategy for Ireland as well as the HSE's Knowledge and Information Plan as part of a rolling annual programme of work.
In broad terms, the expenditure on ICT projects in 2019 is planned to be:
- Technical Infrastructure
- Replacement of existing communications, server and client hardware.
- Deployment of additional hardware to support delivery of clinical and non-clinical applications and to digitally connect clinicians, support staff and patients.
- Systems
- Funding for major initiatives such as the Electronic Health Record, National Children’s Hospital Systems, the National Financial Management System, Individual Health Identifier, the Maternal and Newborn Information System, the Acute Floor Information System etc.
The detail that the Deputy is requesting is not yet available. The ICT Capital Plan for 2019 is currently under review by the HSE and will be subject to further review and approval by my Department in the coming weeks. It will become available following approval of the 2019 National Service Plan and the Deputy will be supplied with detail of the planned projects subsequent to that process being finalised.
The provision of the capital funding allows the ICT enablement of health services. It will ensure that Ireland can benefit from the potential of ICT and eHealth to improve the health and wellbeing of all its patient/citizens, the working environment of its health professionals/care providers, the efficiency and effectiveness of its delivery services and the realisation of significant economic development potential.
