Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 235: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she intends to publish the conditions pertaining to public private partnerships in the health sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19469/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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My Department has been examining Public Private Partnerships, PPPs, and other procurement options in line with Government policy with a view to finding the approach that will deliver additional long stay beds and provide the best services and value for money to the Exchequer.

In this regard there have been discussions between my Department and the Department of Finance on an initiative which is based on entering into a medium term service agreement with the private sector to deliver the additional long stay beds required to relieve pressure on the acute hospitals and community care programme.

Under a PPP arrangement the HSE is subject to the national guidelines on PPPs and all capital investments must comply with EU procurement legislation. Pending the outcome of the deliberations of the proposal any conditions attached will be published at that stage.

My Department engaged a consultancy firm to provide advice on an assessment framework that should be applied to proposals for developing private hospitals on public hospital sites.

I am currently considering the advice from the consultants and related policy issues regarding the development of private hospital facilities on public hospital sites and increasing capacity in the public hospitals for public patients.