Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2004
60 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if the number of the promised 850 community nursing units now available in regard to his announcement of July 2002; the hospitals in which they are available; the number in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18387/04]
View answerThe 850 additional beds which I announced in July 2002 were for community nursing units to be provided under two pilot public private partnership projects in 17 locations throughout the Eastern Regional Health Authority and Southern Health Board areas.
The ERHA will be providing nine 50 bed community nursing units, three in each of the area health boards. The locations are as follows: Clonskeagh Hospital, Newcastle Hospital and Tivoli Road, Dún Laoghaire in the East Coast Area Health Board; St. Joseph's Hospital, Raheny, St. Mary's Hospital, Phoenix Park and Swords in the Northern Area Health Board; and St. Brigid's Hospital, Crooksling, Brú Chaoimhin, Cork Street and Cherry Orchard in the South Western Area Health Board.
The Southern Health Board proposes to develop eight 50 bed CNUs in the following locations: St. Finbarr's, Farranlea Road and Ballincollig in the Cork South Lee area: St. Stephen's Hospital Glanmire and St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital, Gurranbraher in the Cork North Lee area; Mount Alvernia Hospital, Mallow in the North Cork Area; Bantry in the west Cork area and Tralee in Kerry.
These additional beds are currently not available, as the process of providing services under a PPP arrangement requires the health board/authority to comply with the EU procurement legislation and national guidelines on PPPs.
Public sector benchmarks for both projects have been prepared and finalised by the ERHA and the SHB. These are a comprehensive and detailed risk adjusted costing of the project elements using conventional procurement over the whole life of the project. The public sector benchmarks have been submitted to the Department of Finance for consideration and my Department is currently in consultation with the Department of Finance in relation to the projects. On approval contract notices will be advertised by each of the awarding authorities in the Official Journal of the European Union.
