David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1244. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated capital and current cost of building elective only hospitals as outlined in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21727/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The identification of potential costs for the elective ambulatory facilities remains a work in progress, and my Department is seeking to follow the clear guidelines set out in the Public Spending Code in terms of the appropriate steps in identifying a preferred option.

At present, the elective hospitals oversight group has completed a Catchment Area Analysis within Dublin, Cork and Galway, within a national capacity context, but also within the catchments defined by the proposed Regional Health Areas, aimed at selected scopes of service.

The Elective Hospitals Oversight Group is currently developing options for high-level facilities spatial brief and order of magnitude costs which details the elective clustering of appropriate activities for each of the three facilities in Dublin, Cork and Galway. This will also include an output and facility specification, based on efficient and effective service delivery. This will assist in identifying the preferred option, which will then be required to undergo full detailed planning and costing for consideration by Government.