asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware of the disappointment of the people of Iveragh at the hold up in the erection of Cahirciveen Hospital, and if he will state what is the present position in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cahirciveen Hospital.
I agree that it is disappointing that more progress has not been made with this project, but that is not due to any lack of effort on my part to get the local authority to agree to the provision of a hospital giving satisfactory accommodation for the patients and at a reasonable cost.
As the Deputy will be aware, the estimated cost of the hospital on the basis of the sketch scheme prepared was about £125,000. For a 34-bed district hospital this was unreasonably high. On a re-examination of the plans I felt that a number of economies could be secured while providing a reasonable standard of accommodation and services for the patients. I had these suggestions conveyed to the local authority and urged them to have a revised sketch design prepared. I regret that the local authority were not prepared to agree to a number of the more important economies suggested.
I have now informed them that I have determined the amount of the grant from the Hospitals' Trust Fund on the basis of a hospital designed in accordance with the suggestions I have made. I am perfectly satisfied that a hospital so designed would provide first-class facilities for the medical treatment and welfare of the people of Iveragh. If in spite of this the local authority wish to proceed with a more elaborate structure, I would be reluctantly prepared to agree to their doing so, but I have made it quite clear that it would be only on the basis that they themselves would bear the extra cost involved.