Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 27 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 3

Written Answers. - National Development Plan.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

236 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children the sections and division of the European Commission which are involved in assisting and/or monitoring the implementation of those aspects of the national development plan for which his Department has responsibility; the name of the senior EU official with responsibility for that role; the number of meetings that have taken place since the publication of the national development plan between officials of his Department and the relevant officials of the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5609/01]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

237 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will state for that section of the national plan for which he has responsibility for its implementation, the number of consultants who have been hired by his Department to assist with the design or implementation of the national development plan; the projects upon which they are engaged; the cost of those projects; the approximate professional fee cost which the consultants will be charging his Department on completion of the consultancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5624/01]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

238 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children the aspect of the national development plan for which his Department has responsibility; the precise number of projects which are a part of that section of the national plan for which his Department has responsibility; the number of personnel in his Department who are working full-time and part-time on the national development plan; their grade within the Civil Service; the budgeted cost for each project; the timetable for its implementation; the present stage at which it is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5641/01]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

239 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of groups, both statutory and non-statutory but excluding local authorities with which his Department is in regular contact or consultation in respect of the implementation of that section of the national plan for which his Department has responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5659/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 239, inclusive, together.

My Department has overall responsibility for the implementation of the national development plan – NDP – for the health services. The prioritisation, planning and delivery of health capital projects under the NDP at local level is the responsibility of each health board. In the context of the NDP, my Department reports to the Department of the Environment and Local Government under the Economic and Social Infrastructure Operational Programme – ESIOP. In the circumstances, my Department does not therefore have direct contact with the EU Commission or any of its officials in relation to the NDP.

One consultant has been engaged by my Department on a short-term basis to advise on the development of an appropriate monitoring-reporting system to assist in the implementation of the NDP. The consultancy fee involved in this case is in the region of £10,000. A sum of £2 billion was made available to the health service at the launch of the NDP. This was apportioned by my Department to health boards on an indicative funding basis for each year of the NDP, in line with the regional and other criteria governing the overall objectives of the plan. Health boards prepared capital development plans based on the indicative funding indicated to them over the lifetime of the NDP. To facilitate the earliest possible commencement procurement processes, the health board plans were prepared in greater detail for the initial years of the NDP and a broad brush approach was taken in regard to subsequent years.

Accordingly, the health board plans are evolving in nature and are expected to change over the period of the NDP in view of evolving service, financial, and operational circumstances. In view of the fact that health boards have primary responsibility for the prioritisation, planning and delivery of capital developments at local level, it would not be practical for me to detail individual projects and costs as these will be subject to continuous change under the indicative NDP funding notified to each health board for specific health care programmes.

In view of the fact that all the capital projects for my Department are encompassed by NDP funding, the hospital planning office – HPO – of my Department has central responsibility for progressing the NDP. The HPO consists of approximately 25 staff, of varying professional and administrative grades. In addition, staff of various grades in most of the other divisions of my Department have responsibilities in relation to progressing the plan for their particular service areas.

My Department is in regular contact with a number of groups in relation to the implementation of the NDP. These include the Department of Finance, Department of the Environment and Local Government, the health boards, the Eastern Regional Health Authority, and various professional or voluntary agencies as required.