Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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64. To ask the Minister for Health when the specific projects to be funded under the capital investment plan and the additional funding for health services will be published, and if a new accident and emergency department for University Hospital Galway is among the priorities. [42950/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Government announced the national capital envelope for the multi-annual period 2016-2021 in September 2015. The notified health capital envelope for this period is €3,061 million which includes an increase of €568m. The following table shows the annual allocation.

Following this announcement the HSE is working on its next multi-annual Capital Plan 2016-2021 which, from a good practice perspective, must involve a review of all projects.This Plan requires my approval together with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. It will include a schedule of projects to be delivered. The HSE will publish this schedule on its website when it has been approved.

Increased funding becomes available in the later years and therefore there is potential scope for additional investment concentrated towards the end of the period. Funding has been made available to begin the development of this large project which incorporates an new ED. However in advance of the approval of the Plan, it is not possible to indicate with any certainty when projects will be finalised.