Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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71. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the bed capacity review. [40939/17]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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72. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the Health Service Capacity Review 2017; if the review is on course to be completed by the end of 2017; if the capacity review steering group has provided an interim report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40789/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 72 together.

Work on the Health Service Capacity Review is ongoing. The review is examining key elements of primary and community care capacity in addition to hospital capacity. As part of the review process, the Department has commissioned independent external consultants to provide technical, analytical and engagement expertise. A Steering Group is overseeing the project and an independent international peer review group is involved in ongoing review and validation of the methodology and approach. My Department has also undertaken a public consultation process to ensure that stakeholder views feed into the process and work is now underway in relation to analysing the submissions received.

The findings from the review will provide a basis for determining both the extent of capacity requirements over the next 15 years and the type of capacity that is needed at a national and regional level. It is expected that the review will be advanced sufficiently to inform the mid-term review of the capital programme and the development of a new 10 year capital plan later this year . A final report will be published before the end of the year. An interim report is not expected.