asked the Minister for Health when it is intended to commence the building of the new St. Laurence's Hospital at Cabra, Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - St. Laurence's Hospital, Dublin.
9.
The position about the replacement in modern accommodation of the services provided by St. Laurence's Hospital has been altered by the recommendations made by the Consultative Council on the General Hospital Services. The report of the council (the FitzGerald Report), which was accepted in principle by my predecessor, advocated the development of a regional hospital on the site of the Mater Hospital which would include the specialist units now operated separately in the Mater, St. Laurence's and Jervis Street Hospitals. General medical and surgical services would also be provided in this much enlarged Mater Hospital complex. It was recommended in addition that the James Connolly Memorial Hospital at Blanchardstown should be developed as a general hospital staffed also by consultants from the three hospitals I have mentioned.
These far-reaching recommendations have been the subject of detailed study by representatives of the three voluntary hospitals concerned and the Dublin Health Authority. These studies are now at a point where I would hope that firm decisions would be taken within a short time. It will then be possible to proceed with the implementation of suitable proposals. In that event, the earlier project which would have involved building a new St. Laurence's Hospital on a site at Cabra would not, of course, be proceeded with.