Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:164. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the elective hospital in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37463/22]
View answerTuesday, 12 July 2022
Questions (164, 1025)
Colm Burke
Question:1025. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if a decision has been made as to the preferred location of the new proposed elective hospital for Cork; when an announcement will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37916/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 1025 together.
In December 2021, the Government agreed a new National Elective Ambulatory Care Strategy. This aims to change the way in which day case, scheduled procedures, surgeries, scans and outpatient services can be better arranged and ensure greater capacity in the future. It will also help to address waiting lists on a national level through the provision of dedicated, standalone facilities in Cork, Galway and Dublin.
As agreed by Government, the elective care scope of service will be developed in two phases. The first phase will commence with day cases, diagnostics, and outpatients. The provision of in-patient treatment will be considered in a subsequent phase. The need for this future in-patient care will be factored into the detailed planning and design phase of the elective facilities.
The development of the elective hospital proposals is following the process outlined in the updated Public Spending Code. This sets out the value for money requirements for the evaluation, planning, and management of large public investment projects. A programme Preliminary Business Case (PBC) has been finalised by my Department and shared with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. A project-level PBC for Cork is complete and is being reviewed under the required Public Spending Code’s External Assurance Process. Once this is complete, it will be assessed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Major Projects Advisory Group, following which Government approval-in-principle to proceed with the project will be sought. It is intended that the project-level Preliminary Business Case for Cork will make a recommendation on a preferred site option.