Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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334. To ask the Minister for Health the details of proposals for the development of a new day surgery and additional theatres at Merlin Park hospital contained in the capital plan, including the scale, purpose and proposed cost of the development, in addition to a timeline within which it is expected to be completed [33459/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The HSE has advised that the Merlin Park project in question is with the HSE National Capital and Property Steering Committee for review and prioritisation. The role of this Committee is to review and prioritise projects for inclusion in the multi-annual Capital Plan. A review of estimated costs was sought and is awaited. As the project has not been yet been approved for inclusion in the Capital Plan, it is therefore not possible to provide a timeline for delivery at this point.

All healthcare infrastructure developments, including this development, must comply with the HSE's Estates Protocol, DPER guidelines and EU directives. A lead-in time will be required to complete the various stages, which include project appraisal, project brief, design feasibility, cost review, sketch design stage, detailed design / pre-tender cost review and planning permission, among others.

Funding is dependent on the costing and timing of the project, the availability of resources in the context of competing demands in a national context, the future capital envelope for the health service and the overall priorities for future service development in the Saolta University Health Care Group.