Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is not just for this year; it is for three years. What that HSE capital plan contains is the 250 projects that will go ahead over the next three years and answers that bogus claim that the overrun on the children's hospital has somehow caused all other projects to be stopped or delayed. Yes, it does have an impact, it does require some projects to be reprofiled, but we have set out in black and white exactly what the 250 projects going ahead are.

It is important as well that people understand the impact it has. The national children's hospital this year will take up about 1.3% of the budget and 0.4% of public spending in total. Listening to the commentary around it, people would be forgiven for thinking that 10% or 20% of all taxpayers' money this year is being spent on a single project. That is not the case. Some 0.4% of Government spending this year is on that project and 1.27% of the HSE budget is going on that project, which leaves 98% for everything else, including the 250 projects that are in that plan.

The Deputy referenced in particular the maternity strategy. That is in the plan. The tendering of Holles Street to move to St. Vincent's is there in the plan, and the funding required to begin work on the transfer of St. Munchin's to Dooradoyle in County Limerick, of the Coombe to the St. James's site and of the Rotunda to Connolly is provided for in the plan.

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