asked the Minister for Health when work will commence on the replacement hospital for Ardkeen general hospital in Waterford.
10.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ardkeen (Waterford) Hospital.
9.
asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the construction of the proposed new general hospital at Ardkeen, Waterford; and when building will commence.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together.
Provision was not made in the health capital programme for 1982 for commencement of work on this scheme this year. I am keeping the matter under review with a view to allowing building to commence as soon as circumstances permit.
Can the Minister tell us how soon this work will commence? Is the Minister aware that one of the Fianna Fáil candidates in the recent general election used this as his main platform — that the replacement hospital would be started in 1982 if a Fianna Fáil Government came back to power? Is that candidate released from living up to that promise and are the Fianna Fáil Party and the Government released from that promise because that candidate did not get elected?
The Deputy will probably be aware of the history in regard to this project which is a major one and very urgent and necessary in that region as a whole. I appreciate the Deputy's concern. Before I left office as Minister for Health last year I had provided the funds to arrange for the commencement of this work. Those funds were clawed back in the £2.5 million capital which was clawed back by the Minister for Finance of the Coalition Government and the scheme was stopped. The project had not reached the contract signed stage and the money was clawed back. I am telling the Deputy that I am still just as committed to going ahead with that project and I shall certainly press ahead with it as urgently and as early as I can within the resources available to me this year.
Is the Minister aware that final plans and costings were submitted to his Department late last year and that there is no reason why the present Government in their budget could not have committed funds to the starting of work on this hospital in 1982? I now ask him, especially in view of the promises given by a Fianna Fáil candidate in the last general election — he is also a member of the medical profession — that Fianna Fáil in office would commence building the hospital in 1982, to indicate clearly that his Government will commit the necessary funds for the commencement of the building of the new general hospital in 1982? If not, will he clearly say that he will provide funds to commence the building in 1983?
I remind the Deputy that the former Minister for Finance also put increased constraints on further development in the health services and I have to work within these constraints. I will explain them——
Why. That is a lot of nonsense.
I shall explain them in detail. The projects approved for this year are published in the public capital programme at the beginning of the year——
(Interruptions.)
Order.
I do not particularly like the situation. This is a project that I regard as one of major importance and it is my intention to get it back on the road as early as possible and Deputies may be assured of that.
(Interruptions.)
We have over 500 questions and if Deputies ask too many supplementaries they are depriving other Deputies of the right to ask questions. I shall allow two more supplementaries, Deputy Deasy first and then Deputy Collins.
Is the Minister aware that we were lacerated in the general election campaign because we did not proceed as the Minister has rightly stated? The Minister's party won the election and I want to know will they live up to the promise by starting the new hospital in 1982?
I have said that I will consider this as a matter of great urgency. Of course it does require additional funds. The funds which were there were totally allocated as the Deputy is aware. They are published in the public capital programme. For the first time ever the health programme has been completely constrained and tied into that programme.
(Interruptions.)
I have to work within limits which did not previously exist and which are there now. I shall certainly do my best for that hospital within those constraints.
Is the Minister aware that the published capital programme was radically changed in order that the Minister's party could take office and that there is no reason why the public capital programme could not be changed with regard to any subhead especially in the region of health and that there was nothing constraining his Government from allocating funds——
That is a matter of argument.
——for the purpose of building this new hospital? Will the Minister now get off his high horse and say that he is committed to building——
A supplementary question, please, Deputy, not a statement.
Finally may I ask the Minister are the Government responsible for present capital expenditure in the State or not?
Deputy Deasy has admitted that I was trying to go ahead with this hospital at that time. I am only recently back in office and I assure the Deputy that I am just as committed at this stage to get on with that project despite the constraints under which I now have to work.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister has not answered my question.
I am not responsible for replies. I am calling Deputy Paddy Gallagher.
(Interruptions.)
I do not give the replies.
Surely I am entitled to some courtesy from the Minister.
Will the Deputy please resume his seat?
(Waterford): I should like to get it on the record that there should be unanimity from the Waterford constituency on this issue and people should not try to make a football out of it. In view of the Minister's commitment towards going ahead with this particular project, will he comment on a statement made by a member of the Waterford constituency, Deputy Jackie Fahey, on the front page of a local paper in the Waterford constituency last week that provision would be made in the capital finances for 1983? Is this true?
I have no doubt that by that stage the problem will be overcome. I am not surprised at the Deputy having confidence in the fact that I will restore at the earliest possible moment a project to which I was totally committed.
(Waterford): I will be interested in seeing it.
Is the Minister prepared to seek funds from the Government this year in order to ensure that the commencement of the building of the new hospital, which will not require substantial funds in 1982 if it commences this year, will take place immediately?
The Deputy may not have been here earlier to hear Deputy Kelly with his very considerable financial rectitude and concern about the future. I, naturally, have provided not only for this year but for the next five years. I assure the Deputy that I will give urgent attention to his request.