As the Deputy is aware the Eastern Regional Health Authority is responsible for the delivery of health services by St Ita's Hospital, Portrane. The £13 million project referred to by the Deputy relates to the development of new and refurbished facilities for persons with an intellectual disability currently accommodated in St Ita's Hospital. This plan is being jointly funded by the Eastern Regional Health Authority and my Department.
As part of this project new residential and day services have been completed in Oldtown, County Dublin and are being commissioned. This new facility will provide accommodation for 30 persons from the St Ita's campus. The capital costs to date associated with this development are approximately £3 million with additional revenue costs of £600,000 provided by my Department.
The work of the project and design teams on an overall development control plan for the hospital campus, which includes new accommodation to be provided for the intellectual disability services, is at an advanced stage.
In addition to the £3 million mentioned above, capital funding of £500,000 in 1999 and a further £1 million this year have been allocated by my Department towards the costs associated with this development. It is anticipated that the planning and tendering process will be completed by early 2001 with building commencing on site towards the end of the first quarter of that year. As the Deputy will appreciate, the bulk of the expenditure will be incurred once this building work commences.
