Vol. 481 No. 4
133 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount of money, if any, provided in the capital programme for 1997 for development work at a hospital (details supplied) in County Galway; if so, if all this money will be spent in 1997; the amount of work to be done in 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16180/97]
The development project at the hospital referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of planning and a provision of the order of £250,000 to cover the necessary design planning fees, etc., was included in my Department's capital programme for 1997. The timing of the tendering process and the commencement of construction will be considered in the context of all the other demands that are competing for inclusion in the capital programme for 1998 and subsequent years.
It is not possible to give a precise figure for the expenditure that will be incurred on the project in 1997, but I can assure the Deputy that all valid applications in relation to capital grants to meet design planning or other approved expenditure will be fully paid by my Department.
