Housing schemes cost-benefit analysis
Deputy Murphy called for proper cost-benefit analysis of housing schemes and raised related concerns about public spending, including hospital infrastructure. The Minister said he would review the committee meeting and raise the Wexford beds issue with the Minister for Health.
I have just come from a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts at which officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage were before us. I am not impressed. Before the country is bankrupted, the Minister needs to have a discussion with his Secretary General and insist on a cost-benefit analysis for any of the schemes being brought forward. If he cares to look at the record of the meeting this morning, he will see that Deputy McAuliffe has joined me in calling for a cost-benefit analysis.
There also needs to be a cost-benefit analysis of the national children's hospital project. As reported in the Irish Examiner, it is going to have an impact on all the HSE's capital infrastructure projects. One of those projects is the 97-bed unit for Wexford General Hospital. I am asking the Minister for a straight answer. Will the 97-bed block be sanctioned and built in Wexford before the end of the Government's term, as was promised?
Comment on this
I did not watch the meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts this morning but I will review it. I respect the committee greatly. I served four years on it as Vice Chairman. I will raise directly with the Minister for Health the situation regarding the 97 beds in Wexford and ask him to respond to the Deputy.