Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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150. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated cost of ceasing private activity in public hospitals, assuming the revenue lost was replaced with public funding. [27260/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, this matter has been considered by the Independent Review Group established to examine the removal of private activity from private hospitals (“the de Buitléir Group”). I have received the Report from the Group. It is a comprehensive examination of private activity in public hospitals and contains a small number of recommendations, including on the practical approach to take to remove private practice from public hospitals, the impacts that this removal will have, what timeframe should apply and how to phase it over time.

The Sláintecare Report contained estimated financial costings for the removal of private practice from public hospitals. Detailed consideration of the De Buitléir report by my Department officials is ongoing and covers a range of issues including further work on costings, which have also been discussed in engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of the Taoiseach. It is intended that the De Buitléir report will be published when this consideration is complete.