asked the Minister for Health the proposals waiting for sanction in his Department for hospital development in County Clare; when decisions will be given on these cases; and when work will commence on the developments in question.
Written Answers. - County Clare Hospital Development.
323.
Proposals which are under consideration in my Department at present for County Clare are:—
(i) Ennis General Hospital—A project team representative of my Department and the Mid-Western Health Board has been set up to plan the development of Ennis General Hospital to meet the requirements of the projected population of County Clare. The team is now well advanced in the preparation of a planning brief for the hospital and it is expected that this should be completed by the end of the year. Because of the constraints on capital resources it is not possible at this stage to say when building work will commence.
Because of the unsatisfactory condition of the x-ray department at the hospital approval has been given to a scheme to improve and extend the x-ray facilities in anticipation of the total development of the hospital. In this connection I should say that last month I sanctioned the purchase and installation of equipment for the new accommodation.
(ii) Maternity Unit at St. John of God Hospital, Cahercalla—A new 30 bed maternity unit is being provided in Ennis at the St. John of God Hospital, Cahercalla. Agreement has been reached between the health board and the St. John of God Order whereby the Order will make available to the health board 30 maternity beds, operating theatres and a labour ward suite. The unit is now ready for use and I have asked the Board to examine the possibility of staffing the unit from their own resources.
(iii) Our Lady's Hospital, Ennis—A new admission unit at Our Lady's Hospital, Ennis, is at an early planning stage. Again, because of the constraints on resources it is not possible to say when the work will commence.