Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 149: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her current estimate for the number of hospital beds that will be freed up by as a result of the co-location of private for profit hospitals at public hospital sites as modified in the revised programme for Government 2009; the position regarding the co-location scheme; the status of each site; the total cost to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30917/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Renewed Programme for Government re-affirms the Government's commitment to the current co-location programme. Preferred bidders have been selected for the Beaumont, Cork University, Limerick Regional, St. James's, Sligo and Waterford Regional Hospital projects. The total number of beds proposed in these six facilities, exclusive of critical care capacity, is in excess of 1,200. Project agreements have been signed and planning permission granted in respect of the first four of these developments. Two other projects are at earlier stages of the procurement process.

The co-location programme is a complex public procurement process. It is a matter for each successful bidder to arrange its finance under the terms of the relevant Project Agreement. The co-location initiative, like other major projects, has to deal with the changed funding environment. The HSE is continuing to work with the successful bidders to provide whatever assistance it can to help them advance the projects. There is a requirement on each of the successful bidders to pay a non-refundable deposit of €350,000 to the HSE on the signing of the project agreement. The intention of this requirement is to allow the HSE to recoup the expenses that it has incurred in this context.