Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Ó Ríordáin for his response and I am always concerned too when I see phrases like "it is my understanding". I assure the Senator and give him a commitment that we will have movement on this particular issue and we will provide timelines. On the business plan, I have discovered in recent days that they needed a more comprehensive business case than what was referred to by the Senator. That was in order to comply with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines, as set out in the public spending code. I also requested my adviser to meet the Secretary General of the Department of Health in order to set out a work plan to accelerate this process and they met the same day as the Beaumont Hospital submission was received by the Department of Health. This work plan involves the Department of Health, the HSE and Beaumont Hospital prioritising and clarifying the timeframes for the submission, with appraisal of a fund business case for approval of the project team and establishing a design team appointment.

This work is a priority and as I stated, I raised the matter this morning with the Department of Health at the ministerial and management advisory committee meeting. I have also contacted the chief executive officer of Beaumont Hospital, outlining the next immediate steps that will be taken, that the project is a major priority and it has our full support. I have secured the funding for the planning and design phases in preparation for the capital plan review in 2017. I have also contacted the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, both verbally and in writing, seeking funding priority for this project in 2017. The planning and design figures are in the region of €3.6 million and the capital plan goes past the €20 million mark. I give a commitment that I will not accept any kind of windy statements from any sections. I will demand movement on this because it is a very important local hospital. We have a wonderful staff and we need commitments. I have given a commitment this morning but we also need timelines. We need to get on and do the job.