Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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760. To ask the Minister for Health when a decision will be made by his Department on a project for Galway University Hospital (details supplied) that was forwarded to his Department for approval in June 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58126/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The proposed new Emergency Department (ED) and Women & Children’s project at University Hospital Galway (UHG) is a large and complex proposal, which is in the early stages of design development.

The delivery of capital projects is a dynamic process and is subject to the successful completion of the various approval stages, in line with the new lifecycle approach of the updated Public Spending Code (PSC).

Since there has been a very significant increase in the scale and ambition for the proposals, now costed in the hundreds of millions, they are now subject to full scrutiny of the PSC for projects in excess of €100m. These are defined processes which all Departments and agencies are subject to and must follow to ensure that Government, as the approving authority for all major projects, can be satisfied that the project is the best means to achieve a policy goal and that we achieve maximum value for money for taxpayers.

The Strategic Assessment Report (SAR) for the proposed Emergency Department (ED), Women & Children’s block at University Hospital Galway has been submitted to the Department and is currently being reviewed to ensure that it aligns with strategic policy considerations for the services proposed. If Departmental review is successful, the SAR will be submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (D/PER) for review in due course in line with PSC Gate 0 requirements. This additional scrutiny, required under the PSC, can ensure fuller risk mitigation, early identification of potential obstacles, and smoother execution of later stages of the project lifecycle.

If approval to develop the proposal is granted, a preliminary business case can be developed by the HSE and be brought forward for PSC Gate 1 review.

In the meantime, approval was granted for an interim emergency department at UHG, including additional resuscitation spaces, support accommodation and improved infection prevention and control measures. This interim ED and associated works can also serve as enabling works for the larger proposals; freeing up the site required for the proposed new block. Practical completion of the interim ED was achieved in July 2022 and became operational in October 2022.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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761. To ask the Minister for Health when a decision will be made by his Department on the proposal to build new elective hospitals at various locations including the Merlin Park site of Galway University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58127/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In December 2021 the Government agreed, subject to the necessary approvals and requirements under the Public Spending Code being met, a new National Elective Ambulatory Care Strategy. This new strategy aims to change the way in which day case, scheduled procedures, surgeries, scans and outpatient services can be better arranged to ensure greater capacity in the future and help to address waiting lists. The development of additional capacity will be provided through dedicated, standalone Elective Hospitals in Cork, Galway and Dublin.

The locations chosen will allow for new facilities of a size and scale to implement a national elective care programme that will tackle waiting lists on a national basis. This means that the new facilities will be designed to maximise their capacity and in doing so will operate to cover as wide a catchment area as possible, extending beyond existing and future health areas. Locating the new facilities in Cork, Dublin and Galway will enable the provision of a national service while aiming to maximise the coverage of the Elective Hospitals as far as is reasonably possible. The introduction of this new delivery capability into the Public Healthcare System will benefit the whole population, including those who do not fall within the immediate geographical catchment.

Preliminary Project Business Cases have been developed for the new Elective Hospitals in Cork and Galway and have been subject to detailed internal and external assurance. These will be presented to Government shortly for approval-in-principal at Decision Gate 1 of the Public Spending Code. Subject to passing through Gate 1, the projects can then move to Gate 2 (detailed project brief and procurement strategy). The Preliminary Project Business Case for Dublin will follow the same process in due course.