Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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959. To ask the Minister for Health the total amount of Exchequer funding paid to private hospitals in 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025, including all payments made through the National Treatment Purchase Fund, block-funding arrangements, contractual agreements, or any other State-supported schemes; the percentage increase in such funding by year; if departmental analysis has verified reports that overall payments to private hospitals are now approximately seven times higher than in 2020; the policy rationale for this increase and his Department’s assessment of its impact on waiting lists, value for money, and the capacity of the public hospital system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61152/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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This Government is committed to improving access to hospital care, through reforms and by building capacity in the public sector.

However, until that capacity is in place to meet the increased demand, we need to utilise all available options in the public and private systems to ensure that patients have access to the care they need.

Accordingly, the Waiting List Action Plan approach has since 2021 consistently targeted the delivery of additional capacity for patients in the public and private systems, (insourcing and outsourcing) through a coordinated approach by the HSE and the NTPF. This year’s Action Plan is no different, with insourcing and outsourcing being utilised to bolster core HSE activity to help deliver on the Action Plan’s four key waiting time reduction targets.

Insourcing and outsourcing have been used as tactical responses to waiting list pressures. These mechanisms have delivered real benefits. However, they must be seen as transitional tools, not permanent fixtures. The long-term goal remains, to build sustainable internal capacity within the public system and ensure that this is maximised to the greatest extent through greater productivity and efficiencies.

The NTPF has advised that total payments by it to private hospitals to date in 2025 are €113,349,202. Details regarding payments by the NTPF to private hospitals in 2024 and previous years are available from their audited Annual Financial Statements as laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. I have asked the HSE to provide you with details of payments from it to private hospitals directly.