asked the Minister for Health whether he will make available to local authorities existing ground plans of hospitals comparable in size and structure to those proposed to be erected, thereby saving the ratepayers considerable expense in architect's fees.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Plans.
asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the advisability of preparing sets of approved plans for the building of hospitals to accommodate various numbers of patients, so that such plans might be used by local authorities, thus saving the fees which add to the present high cost of building.
With your permission, a Leas-Chinn Chomhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 46 together.
It is not practicable to provide standard plans for hospitals on the lines suggested by the Deputies. Requirements in every case vary according to the extent and configuration of the site, the accommodation needed, the classification of patients between male and female, adults and children, the diseases to be treated, the architectural style of adjoining buildings and so on. Even if the suggestion were practicable, it would still be necessary to provide for the supervision of the work of construction. This represents an important part of an architect's or engineer's work in connection with building projects, and a considerable portion of his fees is related to this work.