Written answers
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Department of Health and Children
Hospitals Building Programme
5:00 pm
Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the status of her plans for each of the eleven sites on public lands which she intends to hand over to private hospital developers; if contracts have been signed; the nature and details of contracts signed or intended to be signed; the names of the entities with whom contracts have been signed or intended to be signed; and if planning applications have been lodged for the co-located sites and the bed capacity and specialisations envisaged for each of the hospitals that are planned. [7378/08]
Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The co location initiative aims to make available approximately 1,000 public acute hospital beds for public patients, beds that are currently being used by private patients. The Health Service Executive (HSE) invited expressions of interest from private interests wishing to become involved in this initiative on 11 hospital sites initially. However, because of the review of hospital services in the North East, the Drogheda site was not progressed.
The HSE evaluated outline proposals received from bidders and completed the selection of shortlisted bidders. At that stage of the process it was agreed that the co location initiative would not be proceeding on two public hospital sites. Galway University Hospitals and Letterkenny General Hospital were subsequently removed as the relevant pre-qualified bidders decided, for commercial reasons, not to continue in the procurement process.
In accordance with the competitive dialogue procurement process which is being used, the Board of the HSE approved in July 2007 successful bidder status for the development of co located hospitals at the following six hospitals:
Waterford Regional Hospital
Cork University Hospital
Limerick Regional Hospital
Sligo Regional Hospital
Beaumont Hospital
St James's Hospital
Since then the hospitals and the bidders have been working towards finalising the Project Agreements. It is expected that the Project Agreements for Beaumont, Cork and Limerick Hospitals will be signed very soon. It is also anticipated that the signing of the Project Agreements for the other three sites will be concluded shortly thereafter. Application for planning permission has been made for Cork, Limerick and Beaumont.
Connolly Hospital and Tallaght Hospital, which are also participating in the co location initiative, are at an earlier stage of the procurement process. Connolly Hospital is at preferred bidder stage and it is expected that the invitation to tender (ITT) for Tallaght Hospital will issue in the near future. The Co location Private Hospitals will most likely open within 3 years of receiving planning permission and is therefore an efficient way to increase the public bed stock.
I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the other detailed information sought.
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