Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2019
61. Deputy Stephen Donnelly asked the Minister for Health his views on whether it is acceptable that the HSE capital plan has not been published to date; his further views on whether this delay amounts to poor financial management; when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27890/19]
View answerMy Department has been working with the Health Service Executive and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to develop a multi annual capital plan for the health services.
The Summer Economic Statement, published recently by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, provides an expenditure reserve of up to €200m in 2020 to accommodate funding requirements for the new children's hospital and the National Broadband Plan.
This will allow my Department and the HSE to finalise a multi-annual Capital Plan in the near future.
The Health capital allocation in 2019 is now €642m for the construction and equipping of health facilities. This represents an increase of €224m on last year’s capital provision.
The HSE Capital Plan will determine the projects that can progress in 2019 and beyond having regard to the available capital funding, the number of large national capital projects currently underway, the cashflow requirements attaching to each project and the relevant priority.
