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.