Skip to main content
Normal View

Hospitals Building Programme.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004

Thursday, 28 October 2004

Questions (53, 54)

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

41 Mr. Deenihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason she has not granted permission to the Southern Health Board to proceed to invite tenders for the provision of the new community hospital in Dingle, County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26234/04]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of health services in the Kerry area is a matter for the Southern Health Board, in the first instance. The board in consultation with my Department decided to build a new 72 bed community hospital in Dingle, County Kerry to replace the existing hospital. This new hospital will comprise a mix of beds for continuing care, rehabilitation-convalescent, respite, palliative care beds and beds which will be used for direct admissions by the local GP-primary care team. In addition, there will be a central module, a day care unit, a mental health day care unit and an ambulance base.

The next step in the progressing of the Dingle project to construction is to invite tenders for the construction of the project. Any decision in relation to progressing this project will be considered by my Department in the context of the significant additional revenue funding and staff which will be required by the board to operate the new hospital and having regard to the board's employment ceiling and funding available to my Department.

Joe Sherlock

Question:

42 Mr. Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when she intends to publish the report commissioned from a company (details supplied) on the GMS, in view of the fact that it is over a year since a draft was submitted; if the report has been brought to Government; if it is intended to implement the recommendations of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26316/04]

View answer

The Deloitte & Touche consultancy review of governance and accountability mechanisms in the GMS schemes was received by my Department in February 2003. While the review was being considered by officials in my Department, the Commission on Financial Management and Control Systems in the Health Service, Brennan, and the Audit of Structures and Functions in the Health System, Prospectus, reports were published. Since the contents and recommendations of both of these reports are relevant to the subject matter of the GMS review, my Department requested Deloitte & Touche to update the draft in this light, and also having regard to the latest financial data from the General Medical Services (Payments) Board. It is still my intention to bring this review to Government, after which its publication and implementation will be discussed.

Top
Share