I propose to take Questions Nos. 319, 418, 419 and 420 together.
The total capital funding allocation for the public Health Services in 2020 is €854m, an increase of €112m (15%) over the capital funding allocation for 2019. The breakdown of the capital allocation for 2020 is:
- €744m (€741.461m+€2.539m) is available to the Health Service Executive for building, equipping and furnishing of health facilities, including the new children's hospital;
- €95m is available to the Health Service Executive for Information Communication Technology (ICT);
- €15m is available for my Department (€0.473m - ICT and office equipment) and for directly funded agencies (€14.527m - Health Research, ICT and office equipment) under the aegis of my Department.
The capital funding allocations for 2020-2022 have been revised to achieve a more balanced profile, taking into account the requirements of the new children's hospital, while at the same time having regard to the capacity of the construction sector to deliver new projects.
The revised capital allocation for 2019 included €10m appropriation-in-aid representing a payment from Department of Education and Skills in respect of educational facilities at the new children's hospital.
The Health Service Executive will develop a Capital Plan for 2020 having regard to the available funding, the number of large national capital projects currently underway, including the new children's hospital, and the cashflow requirements and priorities attaching to each project. Once the HSE has finalised its Capital Plan for 2020, it will then be submitted to me for consideration.