The 850 additional community nursing unit beds which I announced last July, under the pilot public private partnership (PPP) will be provided in 17 new sites in the Eastern Regional Health Authority and Southern Health Board areas. These additional beds will not be available by the end of 2002, as the process of providing services under a PPP arrangement requires the health board-authority to abide by EU procurement legislation for projects of this size. The health board-authority have advertised in the Official Journal of the European Communities for business advisors to assist them in progressing these pilot projects following which, it is hoped the detailed contracts will be drawn up and subsequent construction of the units will commence.