Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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1157. To ask the Minister for Health the progress made to date in respect of the proposed transfer of the Rotunda Maternity Hospital to Blanchardstown, Dublin 15; the expected date on which the transfer is due to commence; the expected date for the completion of the transfer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36036/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Project Ireland 2040 provides €10.9 billion for health capital developments across the country, including funding to support implementation of the National Maternity Strategy. The relocation of the Rotunda Hospital to the Connolly campus is one of the key infrastructure projects which will be funded under Project Ireland 2040. It is important that we carefully plan all projects to meet population health needs and achieve value for money. This work is ongoing. While I am not in position to outline the year on year provisions for any individual hospital project at this stage, this will be considered through the process of the determination of service priorities and in the context of the finalisation of the Health Capital Plan.

The Deputy will appreciate that the Rotunda project is at an early stage and will require to progress through appraisal, planning design and tender before a firm timeline or funding requirement can be established.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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1158. To ask the Minister for Health the expected costs of the transfer of the Rotunda Maternity Hospital to Blanchardstown, Dublin 15; if the costs have been included in the budget forecasting of his Department; if he expects the Rotunda Maternity Hospital to contribute from its respective budget to the cost of the transfer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36037/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In line with best international practice, it is Government policy that standalone maternity hospitals should be co-located with acute adult hospitals. The National Maternity Strategy, published in January 2016, reaffirms this commitment. The New Maternity Hospital at the St Vincent’s University Hospital campus will be the first of these to be developed, with the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital, the Rotunda Hospital and University Maternity Hospital, Limerick to follow in time.

Project Ireland 2040, incorporating the National Development Plan 2018-2027, will provide funding of €10.9 billion over the next decade to develop infrastructure, equipment and additional service capacity for the public health sector, in an ambitious plan to improve our health services and modernise how we deliver services through the implementation of Sláintecare.

We must ensure that we carefully plan the use of this capital funding to meet population health needs and achieve value for money.

Project Ireland 2040 includes funding to provide the infrastructure to support implementation of the National Maternity Strategy and to provide an appropriate environment within all our maternity hospitals/units to facilitate the delivery of a modern, safe, quality service where the woman’s need for privacy and dignity is respected. These new developments will radically improve maternity, gynaecology and neonatal healthcare, both at local and national level.

It is important to recognise that all capital development proposals, including the relocation of the Rotunda to Connolly Hospital campus in Blanchardstown, must progress through detailed appraisal, planning, design and procurement, in line with the requirements of the Public Spending Code, before a firm timeline or funding requirement can be established.

The HSE Capital Plan 2019, published recently, provides for the project brief to be progressed.