Vol. 547 No. 1
579 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Health and Children the projects under the aegis of his Department comprised in the national development plan for which funding has been provided as part of the 2002 Abridged Estimates or announced in the Budget Statement; the level of funding provided; the nature of the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1102/02]
The Department of Health and Children has overall strategic responsibility for the management of the national development plan. The prioritisation and delivery of projects in the NDP is a matter primarily for the individual health boards. At the outset, health boards were required to prepare plans for projects they proposed to work on over the lifetime of the development plan within the indicative funding for 2000-06 as notified to them by my Department. The overall funding for the health capital programme announced in the 2002 Abridged Estimates volume and on budget day provides for the planning, design, construction and equipping of these projects.
Additional funding was provided for the health capital programme in the 2002 Abridged Estimates and as part of the budget package for specific projects. This will allow the planning and progression of specific projects and initiatives.
