Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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397. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide the necessary funding to upgrade the operating theatre in Kerry General Hospital, given that no funding has been provided to carry out necessary structural improvement to the theatre since the hospital opened in 1985; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40322/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Between 2007 and 2014, over €14m capital has been invested in Kerry General Hospital. This includes projects which delivered a new emergency department, new endoscopy department and operating theatre air handling and chiller replacement. An agreed rolling plan is being put in place to address infrastructure including theatre department requirements and associated costs.

Following the announcement last month of the health capital envelope of €3,061 million for the multi-annual period 2016-2021, the HSE is working on the Capital Plan. This Plan requires my approval together with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Details of the approved Capital Plan 2016-2021 will be published in due course. This recently announced capital envelope has increased funding available in the later years of the period and therefore potential scope for additional investment concentrated towards the end of the period.