Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 February 2019
78. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if an assessment has been conducted by his Department with respect to the implications for capital expenditure projects in view of the cost overruns associated with the new national children’s hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7516/19]
View answer79. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the reallocation of €50 million from the capital health budget for 2019 and the allocation of €50 million across other departmental capital budgets; the capital projects to be delayed and deferred; and the original dates of commencement and revised dates of commencement, in tabular form. [7418/19]
View answer82. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the Ministers he has met to discuss capital projects in their Departments since budget 2019; when the meetings took place; the projects discussed; if the projects discussed will be allocated extra funding; and if not, if money will be deducted from its budget, in tabular form. [7536/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 78, 79 and 82 together.
In my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at a Departmental level. Responsibility for the management of individual projects rests with the relevant sponsoring Department or Agency.
We have examined all projects and programmes across government in order to meet the funding pressures accruing on the National Children’s Hospital project. This has allowed us to reschedule €75 million from projects such as in the case of the A5 Motorway in Northern Ireland, which is paused due to external issues. The Department of Health will also re-profile €24 million in capital funding across both 2019 and 2020 to facilitate multi-annual management of projects and works within the capital envelopes and to ensure the timely delivery of the National Children's Hospital project. A full list of the adjustments is set out below:
- re-scheduling of €27m arising in relation to the A5 Motorway in Northern Ireland;
- re-scheduling of €10m arising in relation to the National Forensic Science Laboratory;
- advance payment of a sum of €10m from the Department of Education and Skills in respect of higher education facilities at the National Children’s Hospital;
- an updating of the scheduled draw-down of €16m from the two Project Ireland 2040 Regeneration Funds, which are being profiled for expenditure throughout the course of both 2019 and 2020 without delays in project planning, design and delivery;
- re-profiling of payments of €4m under certain programmes of investment in Communications, Climate Action & Environment;
- €3m from the re-profiling of investment under the Flood Risk Management Programme of the Office of Public Works to allow for capacity to be built up over the course of the NDP period;
- revision of the schedule of drawdown of funding in the PER and Finance Groups of Votes totalling €3m; and
- €2m through changes to the timing of payments relating to certain capital works by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with full project delivery scheduled across both 2019 and 2020.
While it is important to recognise and acknowledge the increased costs of the National Children’s Hospital project it is equally important to acknowledge the many projects that have been delivered on time and on budget through Project Ireland 2040.
We are continuing important investment programmes for roads and light rail, improving our environment, with 90 new schools under construction in 2019 and 700 benefitting from minor improvements. Investment will provide 10,000 social housing units and support better health outcomes with primary care facilities to be opened or upgraded in 18 locations nationwide.
