Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

The renewed programme for government re-affirms the Government's commitment to the current co-location programme. Preferred bidders have been selected for six co-location projects at Beaumont Hospital, Cork University Hospital, Limerick Regional Hospital, St. James's Hospital, Sligo Hospital and Waterford Regional Hospital. Project agreements have been signed for the projects in Beaumont, Cork, Limerick and St James's. Planning permission has been granted for the first three of these projects. Planning permission has been granted by the local authority for the St James's project but this has recently been appealed to An Bord Pleanála. Two other projects are at earlier stages of the procurement process.

The co-location programme is a complex public procurement process. It is a matter for each successful bidder to arrange its finance under the terms of the relevant project agreement. The co-location initiative, like other major projects, has to deal with the changed funding environment. The HSE is continuing to work with the successful bidders to provide whatever assistance it can to help them advance the projects.

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