Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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38. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform what input his Department has in terms of ongoing HSE capital allocations, given the new attention on capital budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22061/23]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department has committed medium-term ceilings to the health sector for capital investment to allow for future planning of substantial infrastructure projects and programmes. Currently, the Department of Health have NDP allocations of €1,161 million in 2023 (as per the Revised Estimates for 2023), €1,255 million for 2024 and €1,360 million for 2025. The NDP ceilings for 2023 to 2025 are set and will not to be re-opened. My Department will be engaging with all Departments later this year in relation to agreeing NDP ceilings for 2026 to 2028 to ensure rolling 5 year medium-term capital allocations for sectors.

Individual projects are selected by Departments or Agencies based on a detailed process which begins with setting their own sectoral strategy and goals, and then subsequently identifying specific needs or challenges to be addressed, whether that be through regulation, education or potentially expenditure on an investment project. Appropriate options are then assessed in line with the Public Spending Code, and within the overall NDP allocation that has been granted to the Department for capital investment.

In relation to the Public Spending Code, on March 29^thI announced interim changes to allow for streamlining of the processes in the Code and to provide greater responsibility to Departments in approving projects and programmes in their sectors. There is now a greater onus on Accounting Officers in each Department/agency to ensure that they are satisfied that projects deliver value-for-money and remain affordable. For major projects (those over €200 million), my Department and Government will continue to review the proposals at key stages in the project life-cycle.

As the Deputy will be aware, capital investment has a critical role to play in enabling reforms proposed in the Programme for Government, enhancing service provision, and to drive the reforms as set out in Sláintecare. To reflect this ambition, spending in this area has increased significantly from circa. €500 million in 2018 to an allocation of €1.2bn in 2023. This investment will enable the HSE to progress projects across the country in 2023. Projects and Programmes being progressed include:

- New Children’s Hospital

- Capacity projects including critical care beds and acute hospital beds

- Elective hospitals

- Relocation of the National Maternity Hospital and other maternity services projects

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

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

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

- Accommodation for Enhanced Community Care programme

- Investment in Trauma and Rehabilitation projects

- Equipment replacement and infrastructural risk projects

- Investment in Climate Action and Sustainability projects

- Replacement ambulance programme and ambulance bases renovation