David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if additional funding for health capital projects will be made available in the context of a capacity deficit following from the Covid-19 pandemic and associated operational difficulties and delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36173/20]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In Budget 2021 the overall Budget capital allocation  is €10,066 million. This represents an increase of €1,901 million (23.3%) over the original 2020 allocations of €8,165 million. Capital expenditure has been increased by a further €1,706 million in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing the overall capital investment to €9,872 million.

Of this major investment, Budget 2021 provides just over €1bn in investment in the health sector. This is an increase of €156m or 18% over the Revised Estimates 2020 allocation. The capital funding for health in 2021 will allow for the continuing delivery of modern health facilities and equipment to improve and expand service provision and capacity across the country.  This will support key aspects of Sláintecare and of Project Ireland 2040 as well as providing the capital assets necessary in the context of the COVID-19 response and the resumption of non-COVID services. This funding will allow progress on key developments including: 

- Progress on key projects to expand and upgrade bed capacity across the system in line with the Health Service Capacity Review and in response to the Covid 19 emergency. Beds have been delivered across the system at an accelerated pace in 2020 including: community beds, intermediate care beds, acute beds and ICU/HDU beds. Work in increasing bed capacity will continue in 2021 across the system on a range of projects - some scheduled for completion in 2021 and others with works commencing and progressing in 2021, for delivery after 2021.

- 2021 will see the continued development of our Primary Care infrastructure in line with Sláintecare and further investment in long-term residential accommodation for the elderly and for people with a disability.

- The Mental Health Capital Programme will continue to focus on upgrading existing facilities and expansion of services in 2021, following the completion of construction on the National Forensic Mental Hospital in 2020.  Other Mental Health projects across the Acute and Community settings will be progressing or commencing in 2021.

- An extensive programme of investment in equipment, including diagnostic equipment such as CT and MRI Scanners, has taken place in 2020. This will continue in 2021 as part of the National Equipment Replacement Programme. Investment will continue in our national ambulance fleet as well as investment in ambulance bases.

- New priorities and learnings from the pandemic, which will enable the implementation of the Service Continuity Programme, will continue to be funded such as projects to reconfigure facilities which will address infection control and staff safety issues.

I also would remind the Deputy that on the 3rd November last I launched the "Review to Renew" - that is, the review of the National Development Plan.  The revised NDP will be published by summer 2021. It will set out the overall capital investment envelope for the decade to 2030 and will include five year rolling departmental capital ceilings and priorities. The revised NDP will be the blueprint for the development of our infrastructure for the next ten years.

Pending this review it is not my intention to adjust the capital funding beyond the major commitments already set out for next year in Budget 2021. Ceilings for 2022 to 2026 will be finalised as part of the review of the National Development Plan.