Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As we have discussed on a number of occasions, the capital review was published on 14 September last year and all Members of the Oireachtas received a copy of it. To recap, the review of the plan highlighted some important themes, which will closely inform and be incorporated into the analysis leading to the finalisation of a new ten-year plan. These themes include confirmation of the role of capital investment and aligning that investment to the changing demographics in Ireland. Also included is the importance of balanced investment throughout the country. It also looks at mechanisms to strengthen our resilience to risks such as Brexit. There is also the importance of having mechanisms in place to support efficiency and value for money for public capital investment and the need to ensure we have strong business cases in place.

Based on the analysis, the review of the capital plan identified a number of important sectors for investment. These include transport, education, housing and, to address Deputy Calleary's point, health. The findings of the review assisted the Government in selecting priorities for the allocation of the additional €4.3 billion capital expenditure allocated in budget 2018 for the period to 2021. Between 2014 and 2021, capital expenditure in Ireland will have doubled. We judge and expect that by 2021 capital investment will have reached €8.4 billion, of which €780 million will be designated to health.

We have consistently prioritised investment in health, with an increase of 19% in the health capital allocation since 2016, typifying our investment in that area. The Government's investment in primary care centres is an example of this, as 63 primary care centres were opened between 2011 and autumn 2017, bringing the total to more than 100.

To answer the specific additional questions the Deputy has put to me, just before Christmas the Department received the review of the Minister, Deputy Harris, on acute capacity in the health sector and we are considering it at present. It is a key input into the ten-year plan.

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