Vol. 549 No. 1
175 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the extent to which modern facilities are available to the various hospitals throughout the country with particular reference to general, medical, surgical, psychiatric, maternity and special hospital services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6110/02]
The provision of modern facilities across all areas of the health services is being undertaken through funding made available under the National Development Plan 2000-6. The plan represents the greatest ever level of investment in health infrastructure with the provision of €2.5 billion, £2 billion, at year 2000 price base date, planned over the period. The decision to implement investment on such a scale indicates a clear determination by the Government to address meaningfully the infrastructural deficits that existed in the health service. A fundamental objective of my Department's NDP is to achieve a greater balance of capital investment by the end of the plan between the acute and non-acute sectors than previously occurred. Primary responsibility for the prioritisation and delivery of capital projects under the plan rests with each health board and the Eastern Regional Health Authority. Many of these initiatives, whether at major project or minor capital expenditure level, are now well under way in terms of delivery and a significant number of further initiatives are at present subject to detailed planning processes. The NDP for the health service nationally encompasses all of the services referred to in the Deputy's question.
