The Health Service Executive (HSE) has unveiled plans to spend €555.5 million in 2006 on new healthcare facilities including €108 million on new primary care centres.
The breakdown of the capital budget shows that the National Hospitals Office will receive €214 million while €92 million has been allocated to primary community and continuing care centres.
Expenditure under the heading of special initiatives has been budgeted at €174.82 million and €35 million will be spent on nurse education.
In addition, EUR36m, the proceeds of the sale of surplus assets in previous years, will be available for capital projects in the mental health area.
The HSE will also have available EUR70m for capital investment in information and communications technology. Release of this money will be subject separate proposals from the HSE.
Commenting on the capital plan, Professor Brendan Drumm, the HSE's chief executive said: "This plan details our priorities and will help us meet many of our key objectives.
It includes a strong emphasis on developing our primary and community services and hospital facilities."
The Minister for Health, Mary Harney said: "This investment builds our capacity to deliver every type of health service to patients: from primary and community care centres to acute hospitals, and across the service spectrum covering, for example, cancer, heart disease, mental health, services for people with disabilities, for older people and for children.
"It is part of our €3 billion health capital investment framework for the years 2005-2009. Public finance will continue to be the predominant source of new capital investment in health in our country.
"With prudent management of our strong economy and reform in the way we use new funds, we intend to continue this high level of capital investment."