asked the Minister for Health when the building of stage one of the new regional hospital in Cavan will commence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cavan Regional Hospital.
5.
In my statement on the general hospital development plan I indicated that planning to implement the decisions would now proceed in conjunction with the health boards and other hospital authorities, that it would be necessary to determine priorities in development so that as resources become available they could be put to use in a logical sequence, and that the pace of implementation, but not of planning, would be influenced by economic circumstances. My Department is currently making arrangements for discussions with the health boards with a view to determining priorities, and I expect that there will be discussions soon with the North-Eastern Health Board on the procedure for planning development at Cavan.
Is the Minister aware that there is a very fine site available at Lisdarn? Is he further aware that the 200-bed, stage 1, that has been suggested would not make great demands on his capital and would he like to give a time for a possible start?
I am sorry, I could not give a time for a possible start. I do agree that Cavan should be reasonably high on the priority list in view of the condition in which it is at the present time but, as I described in respect of one of the hospitals in Dublin—I think it was Beaumont—it takes quite a number of years to have briefing, to plan and to build. I know the hospital for Cavan would not be of the same dimensions as that for Cork but I would point out that the actual building took five years in Cork. I assume it would take a much shorter period in the case of other hospitals, including a place like Cavan.
The logical sequence would seem to indicate starting in Cavan. I think the Minister used the term "logical sequence".
I said that I do recognise it is a problem.
Cavan): Deputy Wilson will appreciate that 35 or 40 years of waiting and uncertainty have come to an end with the Minister's action.
Would the Ceann Comhairle allow me to remark that the Minister for Lands was not around in Cavan at that time? He was in Monaghan.
(Cavan): He was fighting for the hospital long before Deputy Wilson arrived on the political scene.
Questions Nos. 6 and 7.