Vol. 475 No. 5
110 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Health if funding will be provided in the 1997 capital budget allocation to the North-Eastern Health Board to enable construction of the new health care unit in Cootehill, County Cavan, to commence in 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5486/97]
Limerick East): As the Deputy is aware, the North-Eastern Health Board is responsible for the development of health care units in its area.
The Deputy will also be aware that priority health care units for development between health boards are progressed on the basis of available capital funding. The North-Eastern Health Board has already identified a project in Monaghan as its immediate priority in 1996 and 1997 and this will absorb most of the available capital funding in 1997.
The question of funding for health centre priorities in 1997 is currently under consideration in my Department and will be decided in the near future.
