Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 2 Oct 1997

Vol. 480 No. 8

Adjournment Debate. - Galway Hospital Funding.

Mr. U. Burke

I thank the Chair for accepting this item for debate and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, for his presence. He is very familiar with the hospital in question. This application was initiated in 1992 and has had a long and turbulent gestation in the Department of Health, which consulted the administrators and governors of the hospital — the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood, Ballinasloe, County Galway.

Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinalsoe, County Galway, is outside the jurisdiction of the health boards. Nevertheless, it provides a very important service offering the highest standards of health care to the people of east Galway and the midlands. Indeed, its catchment area extends into the Minister Deputy Cowen's and Deputy Fahey's constituencies. This area encompasses Athlone, Mullingar, Longford, south Roscommon, east Galway, Loughrea and Portumna.

Last June, about two days before the election, after much petitioning to the then Minister, the project was sanctioned and approved and approximately £2.5 million was allocated for the capital extension at the hospital. This extension would entail the replacement of three theatres currently located in prefabricated buildings. I do not know of any other hospital in Ireland where surgical work of the highest standards — which is a compliment to the medical and nursing staff there — is carried out in third world conditions. From this time of the year onwards there is probably not much demand for an anaesthetist in these theatres, so extreme are the temperatures. As is common in all theatres air conditioning is required during summer and winter months as temperatures fluctuate to a wide degree. However, thanks to the magnificent work of the surgical, medical and other staff at Portiuncula things have worked satisfactorily to date.

The chief executive officer and representatives of Portiuncula Hospital were in constant contact during the summer months with Department of Health officials finalising and hammering out the details of bills of quantities and tender procedures in order that a contractor would be appointed to do the work. If the matter had been allowed to run its normal course we would now be starting up on the site. However, we find ourselves in the awful situation where the project is under review, something which comes as a major shock to the people involved. I do not know what that review entails but if it follows the pattern of other departmental reviews it effectively means stalling. That is not acceptable. The Minister of State Deputy Fahey, as a west of Ireland Minister, must understand far better than most what this setback means to the people who work so hard in Portiuncla Hospital to provide a health care service.

The three theatres to be included in the capital works programme include a coronary care unit, an ordinary surgical theatre, an eight bed intensive care unit and the other ancillary facilities required in a modern hospital. I implore the Minister to take action immediately so that Portiuncula Hospital will not come under this review. This project should be allowed go to tender so that work can commence as a matter of urgency. In the interests of medical safety I ask the Minister, through the Minister of State, to make an immediate decision in this regard before any serious damage is done.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. Fahey)

I thank Deputy Burke for raising this issue and I welcome him to the House as a new Deputy. I am pleased to be back myself for the first time following a period of absence. Deputy Burke and I have sparred on opposite sides of the fence in south and east Galway for many years and I am happy to see him in the House as he is a gentleman.

I want to record formally the Government's gratitude to the many dedicated staff, religious and lay, who have made an important contribution over the years to the health and quality of life of the people in the catchment area served by Portiuncula Hospital. I assure Deputy Burke of the Government's ongoing commitment to maintain the services provided there.

In that context, the hospital received a revenue allocation from the Department of £11.4 million in 1997 to provide medical services. In providing these services the hospital not only plays a major role in the life of east Galway but also serves significant proportions of the population in Counties Roscommon, Westmeath, Offaly and Longford.

In regard to the development to which the Deputy refers, I should explain that the project involves a new extension to the hospital at first floor level comprising three operating theatres, ICU/CCU, endoscopy, etc., and alterations to the existing building to accommodate links and a new passenger lift.

The current position in relation to the development is that the hospital has recently submitted to the Department lists of main contractors and mechanical, electrical and lift subcontractors from which it is proposed to seek tenders. In regard to the timescale, I cannot be definite as to when the development might proceed until the Health capital allocation for 1998 has been decided by the Government.

The total estimated cost of this project is of the order of £6 million including design fees, construction work costs, equipment, etc., and provision has been made in the capital programme for 1997 to cover the planning fees and other preparatory costs associated with the project. The timing of the tendering process and the commencement of construction will be considered in the context of the capital budget for 1998 and the other competing demands for inclusion in the Department's capital programme.

Deputy Burke will understand as well as I do that a commitment made two days before an election is one we are all prone to make but the fact remains that the previous Minister did not provide for the money to back up that commitment. That is a difficulty for the present Minister and for the Department generally. In addition, the allocation for the capital programme for 1997 was considerably down which has placed a considerable burden of ongoing costs on the Department as we approach the 1998 Estimates. Against that background, I must be frank and say I do not believe we will be in a position to do anything about proceeding with this project in the foreseeable future. I regret, therefore, that I cannot give any definite news in relation to the scheduling of the tendering and construction work at this time but I am fully aware, as is the Minister, of the concerns of the hospital that the project proceed.

I emphasise again that Portiuncula has a major role to play in complementing the services of the major acute hospitals in the western and adjacent health board areas. The development will be considered as a matter of urgency with all other projects when the 1998 capital Estimates are known.