Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the delivery of the Birch Hill Centre for Mental Health.
Minister of Health: Improving mental health is a key priority for my Department. The initial approval for the Birch Hill Centre project in 2020 was confined to pre-tender design works. The conclusion of those design works has indicated a substantial increase in the capital cost from £88 million to £150 million and the additional annual revenue requirement has more than doubled. This poses a significant challenge for my Department, which is already under considerable financial pressure.
Following the announcement of the outcome of the UK wide Spending Review 2025 in June, the Department of Finance has commissioned a Budget exercise that will determine the capital budgets for Northern Ireland Department’s for the years 2026-27 to 2029-30. My ability to commit to funding capital projects, including the Birch Hill Centre for Mental Health, will depend on my Department’s capital allocation from the Budget process. The draft Budget outcome will inform the development of the Department of Health capital investment plan which will set out the projects to be taken forward over the next ten years.
ENDS
Your MLA 