Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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199. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for the development of 80 new direct build primary care facilities; the amount spent to date; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2512/18]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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200. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for the development of 80 new public private partnership, PPP, primary care facilities; the amount spent to date; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2513/18]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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201. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for the development of 80 new operational leasing primary care facilities; the amount spent to date; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2514/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 201, inclusive, together.

Delivery of primary care infrastructure is a dynamic process, constantly evolving to take account of changing circumstances, including the feasibility of implementation. Considerable progress has been made in delivering primary care centres. There are three different methods of delivery: direct build, operational lease, and public private partnership. The mechanism and timescale for delivery of primary care centres are dependent on a number of factors. Some of these factors are outside the control of the Health Service Executive. Regardless of the delivery mechanism, all potential primary care infrastructure is subject to suitable locations being offered / provided / available, to successful planning processes and GP commitment to sharing accommodation and delivering health care services with HSE staff. In addition the operational lease mechanism is subject to market pressures such as the developers' access to adequate financing.

Over 106 primary care centres are already operational, of which 63 have opened since 2011. There are 35 locations at which primary care infrastructure is under construction or at an advanced planning or design stage under the three different methods of delivery. Of these, 14 are by the Public Private Partnership programme, 11 are by operational lease and 10 are by direct build. A further 47 locations are at an early planning stage.

As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of health care projects, the Executive has been requested to reply to you in relation to expenditure incurred to date on this project.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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202. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for invest in replacement, upgrade and refurbishment of long-term care facilities for old and disabled persons; the amount spent to date; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2515/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the State's capital programme Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021 which was announced in late 2015, additional funding was allocated for the replacement and refurbishment of community nursing homes and long term residential care facilities for Persons with a Disability. Building on Recovery allocated an additional €237m for community nursing homes and an additional €100m for long term residential care facilities for Persons with a Disability. Over the next five years, this will provide for the replacement and refurbishment of 90 public nursing homes across the country and some facilities for long term residential care facilities for Persons with a Disability.

Significant work has been undertaken by the HSE in determining the most appropriate scheduling of projects over the 5 year period from 2016 to 2021, within the phased provision of funding, to achieve compliance and registration with HIQA. All healthcare infrastructure developments, including this development, must comply with DPER guidelines and EU directives and will require a lead-in time to complete the various stages. These stages include appraisal, project brief, design feasibility, detailed design, some of which may overlap, the review of costing estimates and finalisation of financing.

As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of health care projects, the Executive has been requested to reply to you in relation to expenditure incurred to date on these programmes.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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203. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided under the capital plan for system wide investment in information communication technology; the amount spent to date; the original timeframe for the completion of the project; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2516/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The eHealth strategy published by the Department of Health in December 2013 informs the capital allocation for eHealth and information and communications technology (ICT) in the capital plan. The latest figures available are for 2017 where ICT capital allocation was €55 million and the total expenditure on eHealth and ICT projects was €54,914,782. Key priority areas for eHealth and ICT projects in 2017 were:

- The refreshment and replacement of existing technology (ongoing);

- National Ambulance Services – equipment replacement programme (ongoing);

- Medical Laboratories Information System (MEDLIS) (funding projected to 2021);

- National Finance System (funding expected through to 2021); and

- Maternal and Newborn Information System (MN-CMS) (funding projected to 2023).

Additional investment in eHealth and ICT was secured by my Department for the period 2018-2021. The capital provision for eHealth and ICT for 2018 to 2021 is set out below and will allow for a multi-annual rolling programme of work on multiple projects.

The capital provision set out in the table above does not include provision for the full costs outlined for the national Electronic Health Record (EHR) business case. My Department is working closely with the HSE, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and other stakeholders to progress the EHR business case. The implementation plan for Sláintecare that is currently being prepared by my Department will also address how eHealth and ICT can support the wider goals of health service reform.