Vol. 554 No. 5
1143 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the funds allocated in 2002 towards progressing Phase 2B of Mullingar General Hospital; if the amount of those funds has been spent to date; and his plans and projected timeframe for the provision of additional beds at Mullingar General Hospital. [16758/02]
Approval of the appointment of a design team for the preparation of a development control plan for the whole hospital development was granted in August 2001.
As the approval increased the scope of the Phase 2B project to include indicative accommodation proposed, in the design brief, for construction in phases subsequent to Phase 2B, the board's project team was requested to immediately review the design brief to reflect procurement of all phases under a single building contract.
The preparation of the revised design brief is at an advanced stage and should be formally submitted to the Department in the near future.
Funding of €600,000 has been approved to progress the preparation of the development control plan in 2002. To date, funding has not been drawn down from my Department.
The Midland Health Board has advised, that while the design process is at an early stage, completion of the existing "shelled out" ward accommodation is its priority in the project procurement process and that the design team is being instructed to examine options that could allow a fast-track delivery of that element of the overall project.
