Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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684. To ask the Minister for Health when he expects to make an announcement of a new hospital in Galway under the National Elective Ambulatory Care Strategy agreed last December by the Government and if such a proposal will include provision for overnight or long stay care. [60907/22]

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.

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.

The initial phase of elective care reform will be focussed on addressing demand for high volume/low complexity procedures and treatments. The elective care scope of service will therefore commence with day cases, scheduled procedures, surgeries, scans and outpatient services. The Elective Hospitals will also be designed to provide sufficient capacity to facilitate future phases, including some elective in-patient capacity. This will provide a sustainable and strategic response to cater for the highly dynamic landscape of healthcare policy and practice.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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685. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the necessity for transplant capability to be located in tertiary hospitals on a regional basis so as to offset any requirement to export organs outside the jurisdiction in view of the recent decision regarding the opt out provisions for organ donation. [60908/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Health secured Government approval for publication of the Human Tissue Bill on 29 November 2022, and the Bill is expected to be published on the Oireachtas website shortly.

Among other things, the Bill provides, for the first time, a national legislative framework for organ donation and transplant services in Ireland.  In doing so, it introduces a soft opt-out system of consent for organ donation meaning that when a person dies it is assumed that they would wish to donate their organs after their death unless they have made a statement of objection to donation.  However, it is important to stress that family members will always be consulted before any action is taken.

Furthermore, under the legislation, those who object to organ donation, for whatever reason, can record their objection on a new Register that is to be established. The wishes of individuals on the register will be respected in full, and their family will not be approached on the issue of organ donation. 

The opt out provisions in the Bill will not give rise to any requirement to export organs nor will they impact, of themselves, on the structure or organisation of transplant services.