Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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671. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a proposal for a Section 38 hospital on a council-owned site in Limerick; the engagements that he has had with a private healthcare provider (details supplied) regarding this proposal; his views on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59035/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, Limerick City Council and members of the Limerick 2030 plan have engaged with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre (UPMC) on developing lands in a Limerick regeneration area. Limerick City Council sought UL Hospitals to meet with UPMC to outline the specific health needs of the Mid-Western region. However, in the context of any proposal, including a proposed model of a Section 38, there are a number of important strategic, practical, legal, public procurement and financial considerations which would need to be considered.

While I have not directly met with UPMC, Department officials have met with the private hospitals, including UPMC in the context of additional capacity as part of the State’s response to Covid -19 and in the context of the waiting list reduction plans. Furthermore, to the extent that there is a determination that the State requires additional capacity in a specific location, consideration would have to be given to expanding existing local facilities directly, or developing plans for procurement. This is the case where the State has recently invested in a number of capital projects in UL and also has plans underway to invest to build further hospital capacity.