Video: Department of Health finance director Neelia Lloyd confirms Derry medical school will cost £25m a year to run

The figure was revealed by Department of Health Finance Director Neelia Lloyd at the Stormont Health Committee.

She confirmed the expenditure was included in the additional £169m the Health Minister Robin Swann has said he needs to fulfil the ambitions of the ‘New Decade, New Approach’ deal.

Ms. Lloyd was asked about the medical school by Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew.

“I noticed the Minister said that an additional £169m is required to deliver the ‘NDNA’ commitments. Does that figure include the money for the development of the north-west medical school, and how much of it is within the £169m?” she asked.

Ms. Lloyd replied: “There is a resource element to it...yes, it does include revenue funding within the £169m. It is a very small amount for 2020/21, but, notwithstanding that, it is likely to have a lifespan of something like — I think it ramps up to £25m by year 10 in terms of a resource requirement, but for 2020/21, the figure is very, very small.”

Brigitte Worth, DoH Director of the Investment Directorate, said the cost of building the facility would be met by other departments.

“On the capital side, because it is a further education project, we expect the capital spend to be factored in by the Department for the Economy on the further education side. There is no capital factored into the figures for that,” she said.