Vol. 465 No. 6
126 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Health whether he has received a proposal from the Western Health Board regarding the sanctioning of a new acute general hospital in Galway to replace University College Hospital and Merlin Park Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10392/96]
Limerick East): The proposal referred to by the Deputy was received in my Department yesterday. It will be considered in conjunction with the ongoing discussions which are taking place between my Department and the Chief Executive Officer of the Western Health Board regarding the provision of hospital services in Galway.
The Deputy will be aware that tenders are now being invited for a significant programme of interim development works at University College Hospital Galway and work on the site will begin before the end the summer. In parallel with this, I have asked the board to prepare an outline development control plan for the hospital as a whole. This plan will be considered in the context of the most recent proposal to which the Deputy now refers.
