Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I share the Deputy's frustration on this issue. She has asked this question before in this House and many other public representatives for Galway have also raised a lot of frustration with regard to this issue. As outlined and confirmed this week by my ministerial colleague, Deputy Finian McGrath, in a Topical Issue debate, the HSE has been obliged to terminate the procurement process to provide the orthopaedic modular units. I am assured that the HSE will commence a new procurement process as soon as possible. I think the Deputy knows the background to this. Leaks developed in the roof of the building on the campus of Merlin Park hospital that houses the hospital's two orthopaedic theatres in September 2017. Remedial works took place last year and one of those theatres has reopened but it has resulted in about one third less throughput, which has resulted in longer waiting lists. For a problem to be caused by a leak in a roof in September 2017 and for us to still be talking about a procurement process to get a modular unit in place to remedy that situation in 2019 should frustrate everybody in this House. That is why there needs to be a sense of real urgency to solve this problem as quickly as possible.

The tendering process was undertaken for the provision of two modular theatres for orthopaedics on the Merlin Park hospital site and a successful vendor was selected for the project, contracts were engaged and were under discussion between both parties, and a planning application was submitted last December. Saolta advised that unfortunately, contracts could not be executed and that the decision was taken to terminate the procurement process. Saolta has further advised that a revised procurement strategy is being put in place to restore full capacity at Merlin Park to immediately address the waiting list issues. The hospital is currently working to optimise current capacity to treat patients.

As for what went wrong, the HSE has now confirmed that it has terminated its letter of intent with Falcon Healthcare on this project after failing to reach agreement on the terms of the contract. Falcon Healthcare was attempting to remove key elements of the tender from the contract and the HSE could not accept the revised terms as they were in breach of what was tendered. As I said earlier, the HSE will now commence a new procurement process as quickly as it can. I can understand the frustration and will certainly pass that on to the Minister for Health, with whom I know Deputy Connolly has already raised the matter.

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