Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 99: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the hospital sites earmarked to date for the development of private hospitals under her scheme to gift land at public hospital sites to developers of private hospitals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17789/06]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 100: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if proposed projects under her scheme to gift land at public hospital sites to developers of private hospitals are approved or otherwise in her Department upon the proposal of the Health Service Executive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17790/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together.

I wish to reject categorically the Deputy's assertion that I propose to "gift" public hospital land to any private entity. The aim of the policy direction that issued to the Health Service Executive (HSE) last July is to free up for public patients beds in public hospitals that are currently reserved for private patients. Any transaction in relation to public land, be it lease or sale, will be done on a commercial basis and will fully protect the public interest. The HSE has been asked to develop an implementation plan which will identify where private hospital facilities might be located and to prioritise proposals with reference to the public hospital requirement for additional bed capacity.

The Executive has also been requested to undertake a detailed evaluation of any such proposals. This will have regard to a detailed assessment of need, and existing and planned capacity on a particular site and within the relevant region. It will also provide for a rigorous value for money assessment of any proposal which will take account of the value of the public site and the cost of any tax expenditure. In addition, there will be full adherence to public procurement law and best practice. Since the publication of the policy document, the Executive has received expressions of interest from a number of companies for the development of private hospitals co-located with public hospitals. I expect to see progress in this regard in the near future.