Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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547. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which the HSE capital and estates division engage with external design consultancy companies on the delivery of capital projects compared with internal inhouse design reviews; the level of HSE expenditure in the past three years on external service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61161/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this question relates to engagement by the Health Service Executive, I have asked the HSE to directly respond to the Deputy on this matter.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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548. To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered public private partnerships to deliver on the HSE capital programme commitment to help address the existing infrastructural deficits with regard to clinical, HIQA and building standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61162/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Projects in the HSE capital programme are progressed in line with the requirements of the Public Spending Code and in Public Private Partnership Projects, in line with Guidelines for the Use of Public Private Partnerships (PPP). Whilst the majority of projects will be progressed using direct Exchequer funding, alternative procurement options such as use of PPP continue to be an option. In development of business cases for projects and programmes, as part of the business case consideration is given to the most appropriate procurement mechanism.

If a PPP approach is being considered, a PPP procurement assessment must be carried out involving consideration of factors such as if the project is of sufficient scale and risk/operational profile to justify a PPP approach, and to carry the high transactions costs that will be involved. This consideration involves review from my Department, the HSE and engagement with other parties including the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA).

Officials from my Department and the HSE sit on the inter-Departmental PPP Steering Committee, chaired by the DPER, which monitors and oversees progress on the current (and future) pipeline of PPP projects.

A PPP has already been used to the deliver 14 Primary Care Centres. A PPP to deliver 7 Community Nursing Units (CNU) is currently progressing and is at procurement phase.