Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 14 June 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Implementation of Sláintecare Reforms: Department of Health and HSE (Resumed)

Mr. Robert Watt:

Absolutely. All of us in the system, particularly our colleagues in the HSE and staff of the HSE working in substandard facilities, are frustrated by the need for us to accelerate the expansion of these plans. The next two milestones – the CEO can answer on this if he wishes – relate to the detailed design and, as Deputy Colm Burke asked about, the planning permission. We hope to have it accelerated in the autumn. The CEO and I are due to have a discussion with our teams this week to check the positions and whether we can proceed faster. The building absolutely has to happen next year.