Vol. 560 No. 1
672 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress which has been made on the community hospital/nursing unit for Ballinrobe, County Mayo; if the site purchase has been finalised; if this has been included in the Western Health Board proposals; if it has been made a priority by the health board in its submission to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1393/03]
Responsibility for the provision of health services in the Mayo area rests with the Western Health Board, and my Department has made inquiries of the chief executive office of the board, concerning a community nursing unit in Ballinrobe. As the Deputy will be aware, capital funding has been made available to the Western Health Board for the purchase of a site and I understand that a potential site was made available adjacent to the parochial house in the town centre. A full option appraisal has been carried out on the site and it was felt that there were particular design constraints which made it less than ideal for the construction of a community nursing unit.
I understand that, following discussions with the local clergy, additional land, increasing the site, was offered. This is currently being examined by the board's technical staff and the Valuation Office has been asked to revise its valuation in the light of the additional land offered. A further site, on the Claremorris Road, which is currently owned by Mayo County Council, has also been offered to the board, and a full appraisal and valuation has been carried out on this site.
A decision will have to be made, in due course, on which site represents the best option for the development of a community nursing unit and ancillary services. As the purchase and disposal of property is a reserved function of the board, both of those site options will be presented to its property committee and, ultimately, to the board, for approval. I am sure the Deputy will agree that is imperative that the site obtained in Ballinrobe be the best possible option for the community nursing unit and ancillary services.
