asked the Minister for Health if he has retained the £5 million for the commissioning of new units which was set aside in the previous Government's estimates.
289.
Written Answers. - New Hospital Units.
288.
asked the Minister for Health if he intends to provide the necessary finance to open this year any of the 126 new units of accommodation ready for commissioning for 1 to 1½ years.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 289 together.
The previous Government allocated £4 million — not £5 million as the Deputy says — to provide for opening a selected number of new health facilities in 1982.
As the Deputy is aware, however, the funds which were originally provided to finance on-going services were seriously deficient — to the extent of £48 million and, if I had not succeeded in obtaining extra funds in the March budget, severe curtailment of health services and large-scale disemployment would have been unavoidable.
Despite the increases in their allocations resulting from the extra funds provided by the Government it is necessary for health agencies to achieve significant savings to avoid exceeding budgetary limits.
I am at present reviewing the overall position as regards the financial needs of the health services and the restricted funds available and it is in that context that I have not as yet made any decision as to the allocation of the sum of £4 million to which I have referred.