asked the Minister for Health if he will state whether the Governors of the Rotunda Hospital have yet handed over the grounds for the Garden of Remembrance and, if so, when the work of laying out the Garden will commence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Garden of Remembrance.
Under the terms and conditions of the agreement, between the Board of Governors of the Rotunda Hospital and the Commissioners of Public Works in connection with the letting of the Garden of Remembrance site, the letting is terminable forthwith if the site is required by the Commissioners of Public Works. The governors were informed last August that it had been decided that the Garden of Remembrance scheme should proceed and the site should be handed back to the Commissioners of Public Works as soon as possible. The site is at present partly occupied by temporary units, which, by agreement with the hospital authorities, are to be replaced by new permanent buildings in the hospital's own grounds. The plans for the permanent units are being prepared as expenditiously as possible and agreement has been reached on the design of the new buildings, consisting of an infants' unit and an extension of the nurses' home. The working drawings for the nurses' home extension have been completed and the bills of quantities are being prepared. It is expected that the working drawings for the infants' unit will be completed and ready for the quantity surveyor within the next fortnight. It should be possible, accordingly, to invite tenders and commence work on the erection of the new buildings well before the end of the summer. The existing units on the Garden of Remembrance site will be removed immediately the new buildings are available.
I take it that there will be no avoidable interruption in the services?
No, there will be no avoidable interruptions. I do not think there will be any interruptions.