James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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393. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the €198.5 million development funding held by his Department in 2019 for release to the HSE on approval of implementation plans and commencement of specific developments (details supplied); and the funding released for each specific development in tabular form. [51504/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In Budget 2019, specific new initiatives were identified for SláinteCare implementation and, in line with previous years, an element of the new development funding was held back in the Department of Health.

The level of funding released during the year for delivery of the new developments is subject to the submission, review, approval and commencement of those developments. To date, the HSE has requested €158.8m of this funding, which has been approved.

In cases where the entire amount of expenditure is not expected by year end, this is largely due once off time related savings, which can be attributed to the following:

- Facilities opening later than the timing assumed when planning the operational funding levels in the Budget due to delays in construction timetable.

- Procurement/negotiation timelines extending longer than originally planned for when setting funding levels.

- Recruitment into designated roles, including notice period requirements resulting in actual start dates later than estimated.

- A breakdown of the funding approved to date is listed below.