Mr. Liam Woods:

To respond to the points made by the Deputy and the Senator, there is a significant issue for the HSE in terms of its global capital provision post-austerity to make sure we have infrastructure that is fit for purpose and does the job. The service plan and the capital programme for the HSE, which are the amounts determined by the Oireachtas, are expended. We are in dialogue with colleagues in the Department of Health and in other Departments relating to future needs, which would include maternity services but also the wider agenda to which the Senator referred. In the planning of the implementation of this strategy there is a strong capital element that has to become visible. There is a significant challenge with that, and we understand that. Mr. McGrane and his colleagues will be working with our finance units around the country, and centrally, on that.

The idea will have to come on the table in terms of looking at that. It has already because if one looks at the funding of primary care centres, it is done through a third-party support with private capital partners. Therefore, we will have to examine creative ways of ensuring that we get access to the right capital resource as quickly as we can to proceed with the policy. There is no question about that. Some resources are already available, which are helpful. The moving of Holles Street is a significant one. There are already planning deliberations under way around other parts of the Rotunda going to Connolly, which is under discussion right now and in phase 2 of planning. These projects will need to continue through to a point of funding and there will be a big challenge with that. The Exchequer will have to examine that when the plan is complete, looking at what the feasible timings are and the implications. The Senator is right to say that it is a wider reality for the HSE's capital programme.