asked the Minister for Health if he will state the date on which work will commence on the building of the new St. Laurence's and St. Vincent's Hospitals, Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Building in Dublin.
I am not in a position to give the information requested by the Deputy for the reason that these two undertakings which are amongst the largest and most complex of those projected are at a relatively early stage of planning. Both of these new hospitals have been included for completion in the short-term building programme, and as projects representing more than one-third of that programme are under construction, I am confident that these two major schemes will go forward to the construction stage without any avoidable delay.
In the case of the new St. Laurence's Hospital, a revised outline of accommodation is at present being examined in my Department and I hope to be in a position to convey my views on it to the board in the very near future. So far as future progress is concerned, I can assure the Deputy that my Department will give every assistance towards ensuring that the work of construction will commence at the earliest possible date.
I am informed in the case of St. Vincent's Hospital that consideration is at present being given to preliminary outline sketch plans. The hospital authorities, I understand, hope to be able to invite tenders for the work about the middle of 1952. The planning and execution of the building work in the case of this project are being undertaken by the hospital authorities and consequently the Deputy will appreciate that I have only very limited control over the rate of progress.