Tony Killeen
Ceist:582 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Health and Children when approval will issue to appoint a design team for the Ennis General Hospital capital project. [1939/02]
Written Answers. - Hospital Services.
Tony Killeen
Ceist:583 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Health and Children the elements of the upgrading work at Ennis General Hospital which will be included in phase one of the works. [1940/02]
Tony Killeen
Ceist:584 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Health and Children the total bed complement which has been recommended for Ennis General Hospital by the project team which reported in early December 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1941/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 582 to 584, inclusive, together.
The Mid-Western Health Board has sought approval from my Department to commence the process of selecting and appointing a design team in order to ensure progression of capital projects at the hospital and in particular to prepare a development control plan for the hospital. This is now being considered by my Department in conjunction with the board. However, the overall development brief is now being finalised by the project team appointed to undertake this work.
The draft brief does not propose any increase in the current total number of beds at the hospital under the proposed first phase of developments. The question of providing additional beds will be considered in the context of the review of bed capacity, the first phase of which was the recently published national review of bed capacity. The next phases of the review will involve an examination and assessment of bed needs by speciality and by region. In the knowledge that the review of bed capacity may have a requirement that Ennis General Hospital increase its current bed capacity the project team will make the necessary provision in the development brief to allow for expansion of capacity at the hospital.
I am informed that the project team is considering various priority areas for inclusion in the first phase of development. These will be confirmed in due course, taking account of factors such as the availability of resources, the need to maintain existing services during construction, and the orderly planning and development of the site. It would be premature to list particular elements to be given priority pending consideration of the issues outlined above. It is, however, agreed that the first phase of work will be drawn from the priority areas identified by the hospital and noted in the draft development brief, and will also include infrastructural upgrade, necessary for the longer-term benefit of the hospital.