asked the Minister for Health when she will be in a position to state when work will begin on (a) the 50 bed unit. (b) the construction of a mortuary and (c) the installation of a lift at St. Partick's Hospital, Fermoy. County Cork as tenders have been submitted.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Fermoy (Cork) Hospital.
2.
I cannot at this time, say when I will be in a position to indicate when work will begin on the provision of additional facilities at St Patrick's Hospital, Fermoy. A decision in this respect will depend upon the availability of capital resource and the priority accorded to the project by the Southern Health Board.
Is it intended to replace the existing unit with a new unit or to build an additional 50 bed unit at Fermoy?
I understand it is additional. I have not that information in my brief.
Is the Minister aware that tenders have been submitted to his Department for over one-and-a-half years and that despite constant pressure the previous Government failed to act in this matter? Will the Minister proceed now as quickly as possible?
In this matter Deputy Barry is correct. The problem is that if work were to start on the project this year it would be necessary to allocate £100,000 in the present year rising to an expenditure of about £300,000 in 1982. No provision was made in the capital programme for 1981 for this project. There is difficulty about the price tendered as a result of the advertisement and the price acceptable to the experts in my Department. They claim it exceeds by 20 per cent what would be acceptable. This matter is at present under negotiation.