The Health Service Executive was established under the Health Act 2004 on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. As part of its responsibility to prepare and submit an annual service plan for my approval, the executive is obliged under section 31 of the Act to indicate any capital plans its proposes. It can be expected during the process to have regard to the full range of potential capital developments, its criteria in determining priorities, available resources and any other relevant factors.
The Department has not yet received the executive's 2005 service plan. In the interim, the Department has asked the chief executive of the executive's southern area to investigate the position in respect of the project and to reply directly to the Deputy.