asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state (a) the present position with regard to the erection of the proposed regional hospital at Galway; (b) the number of sets of plans submitted to him for approval in connection with same; (c) the reason for the delay in having the plans sanctioned; (d) and when work on same is likely to commence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Galway Regional Hospital.
The site of the proposed new regional hospital at Galway will comprise in part the site of the existing central hospital. The sections already undertaken are those which did not involve the demolition of existing buildings and they include a nurses' home, erected at a cost of £43,602 and a maternity hospital at a cost of £53,757. Additions to the nurses' home are in course of completion and further additions are planned. It is desirable that this work should be completed before work on further sections of the regional hospital begins, as the new hospital buildings will be needed for temporary accommodation of patients on demolition of the present hospital buildings. The architect submitted to my Department three sets of sketch plans which had to be revised owing to requirements as regards bed accommodation being varied. The fourth set was adopted and it has now proceeded to the draft working drawings stage. The engineer's report on the mechanical and electrical installations of the regional hospital proper has been received in my Department. The report provided for a system of heating which I was advised should not be approved. At a recent conference at which the county manager and consulting engineer and architects attended in the Department this question was discussed. The local authority is arranging for the preparation of plans for an alternative system of heating, and my Department is awaiting the submission of these plans together with the necessary consequent alternation to the structural plans.
The date of commencement of a further section of the building will depend on the time within which the final plans can be submitted by the local authority and on the general position as regards building materials and works priorities as at that time.