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Maternity Services Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 April 2017

Thursday, 13 April 2017

Ceisteanna (221, 222, 223, 224, 225)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

221. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the amount provided under the capital plan for the reorganisation of maternity services; the amount spent; the progress made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18765/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

222. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the amount provided under the capital plan for the national maternity hospital at St Vincent’s Hospital; the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18766/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

223. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the amount provided under the capital plan for the reorganisation of maternity services (details supplied); the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18767/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

224. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the amount provided under the capital plan for the reorganisation of maternity services (details supplied); the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18768/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

225. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health the amount provided under the capital plan for reorganisation of maternity services (details supplied); the amount spent to date; the expected completion date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18769/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 to 225, inclusive, together.

The model of stand-alone maternity hospitals is not the norm internationally. Government policy is therefore to co-locate all remaining maternity hospitals with adult acute services in order to provide optimal clinical outcomes. Co-location of maternity services with adult services provides mothers with access to a full range of medical and support services should the need arise. Tri-location with paediatric services ensures immediate access on-site to paediatric services when foetal or neonatal surgery is required. The availability of these services helps ensure the delivery of an optimum, safe service, particularly for high risk mothers and babies.

On 10 March, a planning application for the new National Maternity Hospital was submitted to An Bord Pleanála (ABP). As such, it is not possible to provide definitive time frames at this early stage. However, I expect that, subject to a positive determination by ABP, the project will be completed in 2021/2022. In any event the tendering process has not been completed or contracts signed and for reasons of commercial sensitivity it is not considered appropriate to disclose the estimated funding required to complete this project at this time.

The other three maternity hospital projects are at a very early stage in development and it would be premature to project any indicative time frames for completion, or cost estimates, at this point. Costs will of course differ from project to project and will be determined, in part, by any requirement to upgrade facilities at the host hospital

To date no Exchequer capital has been expended on the Rotunda, Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital and University Maternity Hospital Limerick relocation projects. As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of health care projects, the Executive has been requested to reply to you in relation to expenditure incurred to date on the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital to the St Vincent's University Hospital campus.

My Department is working with the HSE to inform our submission for the Midterm Capital Review and the maternity strategy will be addressed in the context of the work being undertaken in this regard.

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