Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 17: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the major hospital building projects which are in the planning pipeline; the stage each has reached; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21322/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. This includes responsibility for progressing major hospital projects under the health capital programme.

In this context, following extensive discussions involving my Department, the Department of Finance and the Health Service Executive (HSE), approval recently issued to the Executive to proceed with its capital plan for 2006. This provides for an overall capital expenditure limit of €555.5 million and is subject to the Executive delivering its programme, including individual projects, consistent with relevant Government policies and in line with overall funding and staffing resources for 2006 or beyond.

The HSE Capital Plan 2006 contains proposals to progress a number of major hospital projects, where the total capital cost in each case would exceed €25million. The name and current status in relation to each is as shown in the following table.

The Health Capital Investment Framework 2006 — 2010 also provides for a National network for Radiation/Oncology services at Dublin, Cork and Galway, with satellite centres at Limerick and Waterford. This project is currently at early procurement stages.