Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
1476. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Health if the business case for the new national maternity hospital that was approved by the HSE board in November 2021, as per the public spending code, will be made available; and if the business case will be published. [19776/22]
View answerThe Public Spending Code (PSC) is designed to ensure that capital investment decisions are underpinned by a clear policy rationale, and that costs are well understood. In 2019, the PSC was updated and introduced a new project lifecycle, tightening the arrangements for project decision-making, and clarifying the roles of the parties involved including the responsibilities for Sponsoring Agencies and Approving Authorities. The PSC also provides detail on the business case requirements at each stage of the new project lifecycle.
All capital development proposals must progress through several approval stages, in line with the new lifecycle approach of the updated PSC, including detailed appraisal, planning, design and procurement before a firm timeline or funding requirement can be established.
The specific requirements that must be included in a business case at the various stages of the PSC, are detailed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/public-spending-code/, including the points at which business cases are to be published.
The National Maternity Hospital (NMH) relocation project was initiated prior to the publication of the updated Public Spending Code (PSC), and therefore the NMH Project Board undertook additional work on the business case to ensure full compliance with the new PSC requirements.
A business case for relocation of NMH has been submitted to the Department by the NMH Project Board for review at Gate 2 of the PSC. The Business Case is now subject to technical review by the Department of Health, including through the External Assurance Process recently introduced by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Pending favourable review under the Spending Code, a Memorandum for Government will then be brought forward to progress the programme for the NMH.
If approval in principle is granted, the project can move to preparation of tender documents in line with EU law and deployment of a tendering strategy.
A further Business Case will then be developed by the NMH Project Board, and if approval is granted at Decision gate 3, the Business Case will be published in line with the Public Spending Code.
