National Maternity Hospital

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022

Tuesday, 21 June 2022

Ceisteanna (785)

Ivana Bacik

Ceist:

785. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Health the details of and the timeline for the Government’s next steps in respect of plans for the new national maternity hospital. [32265/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

The Government approved the legal framework that will underpin the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) to the St Vincent’s campus at Elm Park, on 17 May last.

In terms of next steps in relation to the legal framework documents, I understand that the HSE will be engaging with the NMH and SVHG with a view to completing the signing and execution of the Co-ordination Agreement in the short term. I am advised that this document sets out the practical arrangements for finalisation of the legal framework documents. The remaining legal framework documents will subsequently be signed at the relevant time as the project progresses. 

Separate to the legal framework, a Final Business Case for the relocation of NMH has been submitted to my Department by the NMH Project Board for review at Gate 2 of the Public Spending Code (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 PSC, a Memorandum for Government will then be brought forward to progress the programme for the NMH. If approval in principle is granted by Government, the project can move to deployment of a tendering strategy.

Based on the results of public procurement process, an updated Final Business Case will then be prepared by the NMH Project Board, seeking Government sanction to proceed with the main capital project to construct the new NMH. The final decision to proceed with the construction and therefore to estimate the cost or key dates for the new NMH cannot be made until the tender process has been completed and the costings reviewed to ensure that the proposal delivers value for money and remains affordable.