Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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112. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which the Capital Building Programme is adequately provided for in the coming year with a view to ensuring the elimination of previously known pinch points; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26836/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Capital investment has a critical role to play in enabling and enhancing service provision, and to drive the reforms as set out in Sláintecare. This includes investment to facilitate reorienting the model of care away from acute hospitals and towards primary and community settings and addressing capacity and infrastructural deficits that exist in the system.

The health capital funding available in 2022 for the construction and equipping of healthcare facilities is over €1bn and an increase of 4% on 2021. This investment will enable the HSE to progress projects across the country in 2022. Projects being progressed include:

- New children’s hospital

Acute hospital projects including additional capacity, critical care capacity and maternity services

- Primary Care Programme includes the building and equipping of centres across the country

- HIQA Programme for Community Nursing units includes refurbishment to HIQA standard of units throughout the country

- Disability includes continuation of the decongregation programme, respite and day services facilities

- Mental health facilities including CAMHS units and acute mental health units across the country

- Accommodation for Enhanced Community Care

- Investment in Trauma and Rehabilitation projects

- Investment in equipment replacement and infrastructural risk

- Investment in Climate Action and Sustainability projects

- Replacement ambulance programme and ambulance bases renovation

- This investment will allow for the progression and delivery of projects that address infrastructural deficits and that enable the much-needed reform in our health and social care services. I and officials in my Department will be working closely with colleagues in the HSE in the delivery of this programme.