Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour)
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I welcome the Minister of State. He is aware of and familiar with the issue of the accident and emergency department at Beaumont Hospital. I have visited it on several occasions and I am sure he has also done so. The staff of the department are dedicated and hardworking, but there is a need to upgrade the physical environment in which they operate. There are other issues relating to the department of which all present are aware, such as the ageing demographic in the area, staff requirements, etc., which must be addressed by the Department of Health. However, it has long been acknowledged that the need for a new emergency department is a top priority for the staff.

In the dying days of the previous Government, a plan was formulated with senior hospital officials for a €45 million refurbishment of the emergency department. The Minister of State has made me aware that good news is forthcoming relating to the plans for the department and I know that €100,000 has been allocated in respect of the design phase. However, I have searched for a reference to the €40 million which the Minister of State indicated has been allocated to the refurbishment or reconstruction of the accident and emergency department and cannot find it. Deputy Brendan Ryan tabled parliamentary questions on the matter on my behalf. The responses state that it is a matter for the HSE. I have searched the capital plan for mention of the project but cannot locate any references to it. Where is the €40 million allocation the Minister of State announced on several occasions? If it exists and is contained in the capital plan, I ask for an indication as to the timeline for the refurbishment of this facility, which, as the Minister of State and I know, is badly needed by communities on the northside.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank the Senator for raising this very important issue. I accept his point regarding the physical condition of the accident and emergency department at Beaumont Hospital. It is important that I update the House on the provision of a new emergency department. As the Senator is aware, A Programme for a Partnership Government includes commitments to new capital developments at the hospital, namely, a new emergency department and a dedicated cystic fibrosis unit. The Department, the HSE, the RCSI hospital group and Beaumont Hospital are very supportive of these projects. It is recognised that the developments are needed to support the delivery of key services to patients served by Beaumont Hospital.Following on from the commitments in A Programme for A Partnership Government, significant appraisal and planning work has been carried out by Beaumont Hospital, the RCSI hospital group, the HSE acute hospitals and estates divisions, supported by the Department, to progress these capital

developments. In preparation of the capital plan for 2018 the HSE confirmed that funding of €100,000 would be made available in 2018 for the design phase of the new Beaumont Hospital emergency department project. The HSE gave written approval for the funding, which allowed Beaumont Hospital to go ahead with the EU procurement process for the selection and appointment of the design team for the project. The national development plan, announced earlier this year as part of the Project Ireland 2040 policy initiative, provides €10.9 billion for health capital developments across the State, including both national programmes and individual projects across acute, primary and social care. The money will come out of that budget. Health capital projects and programmes currently under way will continue. I am happy to confirm today that both the emergency department and the cystic fibrosis unit capital projects have been included in the national development plan and the timeframe for the completion of the emergency department project will be informed by the work of the project team. This work will be undertaken in conjunction with Beaumont Hospital and the HSE.

As the Senator is aware, the hospital site is quite restricted and much work has been carried out by Beaumont Hospital and the HSE around site selection. I understand that this selection report is due in the coming days. Furthermore, it is my clear understanding that the emergency department project will proceed to planning in early 2019. These are both positive developments as we all move forward.

The delivery of national development plan projects and programmes, including the projects at Beaumont Hospital, will result in healthcare facilities that allow for implementation of new models of care and for delivery of services in high-quality, modern facilities. The cystic fibrosis unit project will be underpinned by the model of care for people with cystic fibrosis in Ireland which has been developed by the national clinical programme for cystic fibrosis. I believe there is a meeting today on this issue in the audiovisual room in Leinster House. This will set out standards for the physical and human resources to be provided for the treatment of cystic fibrosis patients from a national perspective. Investment in healthcare infrastructure, including these projects, must be considered within the overall capital envelope available to the health service.

The HSE will continue to apply the available funding for infrastructure development in the most effective way possible to meet current and future needs, having regard to the level of commitments and the costs to completion already in place.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for the reply. There is a bit in his reply which is not in my copy, which I find a bit strange. The Minister of State made reference - which is not in the reply I have here - to restrictions on the site or issues relating to the site. Perhaps the Minister of State might expand on that please.

On the timeline, I am not sure if they are written in notes that he has done himself from his own knowledge of dealing with officials or if there is a reason the two scripts are different, but I would be interested in getting that information in written form if that is in order.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Yes.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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There are a couple of slight changes. The Minister of State will supply that.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Yes I will supply that. The information on the site change just happened in the last 20 minutes. We are expecting a report and a site selection result in a matter of days. I will come back to the Senator with the details.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour)
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Is that for the emergency department?

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Yes.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour)
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Within the complex?

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Yes. That is the first thing.

The second aspect is the planning. We will proceed to planning in early 2019. While we are discussing the emergency department and planning I want to let the Senator know that the cystic fibrosis unit will go to planning later this month. As I said earlier, the site selection for the emergency department is due in a few days.

On the issue of the €40 million, that figure came from a Department of Health briefing with the HSE in January 2018. I was looking at different particular options. I am the person who put this into the programme for Government.The Government is committed to planning, designing and building a new emergency department at Beaumont Hospital. This commitment is in the programme for partnership Government and the NDP. The timeframe for completion of the emergency department will be informed by the work of the project team. This work will be undertaken in conjunction with Beaumont Hospital and the HSE. The campus site selection report is due in the coming days and the project will proceed to planning in early 2019.

Beaumont Hospital is one of Ireland's foremost medical institutions. It has the reputation of delivery of high quality, innovative and safe care to the people in north Dublin and nationally. This has been achieved through the commitment, hard work and professionalism of all the staff. I thank all those working there for their great work and assure them we will support the hospital in developing its infrastructure and services. We intend to move as quickly as possible. I hope to have a ministerial meeting with the officials of the Department of Health and the HSE over the next week or two to further push this agenda. I will contact the Senator with the further details.