Vol. 547 No. 2
113 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the delay in proceeding with the Alzheimer unit at St. Ita's Hospital, Newcastle West, County Limerick; when construction will commence; and the amount of funding required to finance the project. [3091/02]
The provision of health services in County Limerick is a matter for the Mid-Western Health Board.
Under the National Development Plan 2001-2006 an indicative allocation of €20.76 million, £16.349 million, has been notified to the Mid-Western Health Board for services for older people. The Alzheimer Unit, Ambulant Dementia Unit at St. Ita's Hospital, Newcastle West, is one of the projects which has been identified by the board to be completed under its National Development Plan 2001-2006 programme. The project is now at stage 2, initial design stage, and a submission has recently been made by the Mid-Western Health Board in respect of stage 2 which is now being considered by my Department. The next project stage will be the developed design stage which will allow an application for planning permission to be made. The approved cost of the project will be €1.74 million, £1.37 million.
