James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 345: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the details on the capital budget made available to the Health Service Executive per year since 2004 to 2008; the amount spent per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29980/09]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has received the revised Health Service Executive capital plan for the period 2009 to 2013; when her Department's review of the capital plan will be completed; the date she will publish the revised capital plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29981/09]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the impact plans to put all new capital projects on hold, due to reduced financial allocation, will have on Health Service Executive capital plans; the number of developments affected by this per county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29982/09]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 379: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made on the Programme for Government commitment to implement the €2.4 billion acute hospital capital programme outlined in the National Development Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30016/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 to 347, inclusive, and 379 together.

Details of the capital allocation for the Health Boards / Authority in 2004 and the Health Service Executive for the period 2005 to 2008 with corresponding expenditure, is set out in the following table.

* The allocation shown for 2007 includes a reduction of €20.999m on Capital ICT made as part of a Supplementary Estimate Adjustment.

The Health Service Executive is currently reviewing its capital programme proposals to take account of the reduced capital allocation available to it following the Supplementary Budget and the adjustments to the Public Capital Programme.

The capital envelope available for the health sector building and equipping programme for the remainder of the National Development Plan 2007-2013 has been reduced. Information on the extent and timing of commitments already entered into is being updated as part of this review process. It is clear at this stage that expenditure in 2009 and future years will need to be managed carefully within the available limits and that further commitments will require prioritisation within the expected funding envelope for future years.

When the review is completed, the Executive is required to submit its proposed capital investment programme for my approval with the agreement of the Minister for Finance.

The Executive has made considerable progress since 2007 in delivering capital projects under the acute capital programme as outlined in the National Development Plan and the Programme for Government. While it is not possible to outline details of all infrastructural developments completed or in progress, the following indicates the progress achieved since 2007.

At Cork University Hospital, the new amalgamated Maternity Hospital has been completed and construction is nearing completion on an €80m project to provide new cardiac/renal facilities which will include 114 replacement in patient beds, 27 additional inpatient CCU and HDU beds. Major developments have been completed at Tullamore (€142m) and Mullingar (€25m). In the MidWest, an extension to A&E, Radiology and Pathology at Nenagh General Hospital has been completed, the fit-out and commissioning of an additional theatre and the provision of additional theatre space is underway at the MWRH Limerick. Construction is underway on a project to provide CT scanner facilities at Ennis General Hospital. In the NorthEast, two modular theatres have been provided at Louth General Hospital, an additional theatre and 21 additional beds (including 6 HDU beds and a 6 bed Medical Assessment Unit have been provided at Cavan General Hospital, where construction of an MRI facility is underway. At Monaghan General the upgrade and refurbishment of 2 x 25 beds wards is completed. A new oncology day care unit at Wexford General is at equipping stage and a new OPD including consulting rooms and associated facilities was completed in 2008. At South Tipperary General Hospital the fit-out of 23 additional in-patient beds was recently completed. Completed projects are University College Hospital Galway include an extensions to the oncology department, x-ray, orthopaedic and out-patients and refurbishment of the biochemistry department.

About twenty Medical Assessment Units /Admission Lounges were opened over a two year period in 2007 and 2008 to relieve pressures on Accident and Emergency Units. Construction of the new A& E at OLOL Drogheda and the extension to the Mater A& E have been completed. Construction is underway on the new A&E & associated Medical Assessment Unit at Letterkenny General Hospital and is nearing completion on the development at Portiuncula Hospital.

The HSE's programme to replace and update its ambulance fleet resulted in the purchase of 67 new ambulances in 2007. Delivery of a further 65 new ambulances commenced in the last quarter of 2008.

Rapid developments are taking place in field of diagnostic imagining which helps to provide a better biological and molecular understanding of diseases. Positron Emission Tomography (PET scan) enables more advanced imaging of tumours, organs and tissues. Two PET scan projects are nearing completion at St James's Hospital and Cork University Hospital.

The National Plan for Radiation Oncology (NPRO) is being delivered and will provide sufficient capacity to fully meet national population cancer incidence requirements. Work on the National Paediatric Hospital is continuing with a public procurement tendering process currently underway to appoint an Integrated Design Team to design the hospital and carry out the required architectural, engineering and environmental work in advance of submitting a planning application. Work has commenced on the redevelopment of the Mater Hospital which when completed will provide 120 replacement beds, 12 new theatres, A&E, CSSD and radiology.

This Government's commitment to the health services is demonstrated by the delivery of the range of projects outlined above together with further developments to be progressed based upon further capital allocations in future years.