Jimmy Deenihan
Ceist:144 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the provision of a community nursing unit for Tralee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24686/03]
Written Answers. - Community Nursing Service.
The provision of health services in the Kerry area is a matter for the Southern Health Board in the first instance. The board included a proposal to develop a 50-bed community nursing unit in Tralee as part of its national development plan, 2000 – 06, which was submitted to my Department.
A project team was established in May 2001 to progress this development. The project team has identified the preferred site for this development on land attached to Tralee General Hospital. The selected site is a three-acre site, accessible from the Killerisk Road, which will allow for the community nursing unit to be developed independently from the Tralee General Hospital campus.
The project team has prepared a design brief and the cost of the project is in the order of €8.5 million, at a September 2002 price base date, excluding revenue costs. My Department gave approval to the appointment of a design team in February 2003. The design team has submitted the stage 2 report which was approved by my Department on 6 October 2003.
My Department fully appreciates the importance of progressing this development and will continue to work closely with the Southern Health Board in relation to this project.