Vol. 561 No. 3
152 Mr. Murphy asked the Minister for Health and Children when his Department will sanction the ?550,000 under the national development plan as promised for replacement equipment for Mallow General Hospital, Mallow, County Cork. [4162/03]
My Department has received an application to fund replacement equipment at Mallow General Hospital from the Southern Health Board. At present this is being considered in the context of a general review of the NDP for all health boards in the light of the outturn position for 2002. The review provides for existing capital contractual commitments and commencing, where possible, the planning or construction of new projects nationally in 2003 or beyond. It is in this context that all capital developments for the SHB region, including the proposed equipment replacement at Mallow General Hospital, are being examined. My Department appreciates the importance of this issue and will continue to liaise closely with the SHB in relation to its overall capital needs and priorities.
