Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 September 2004
164 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if representations to the Minister for Finance have been made by her Department to extend capital reliefs to facilitate the construction of geriatric or psychiatric hospitals cum nursing homes in cases in which the need is great and the voluntary sector is anxious to become involved in meeting this need. [23061/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn July 2002 I announced an additional 850 community nursing unit beds which will provide respite, convalescence, long stay and rehabilitation services to elderly patients under two pilot public private partnership, PPP, projects in 17 locations throughout the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA, and Southern Health Board, SHB, areas.
Public sector benchmarks for both projects have been prepared and finalised by the ERHA and the SHB. These are a comprehensive and detailed risk adjusted costing of the project elements using conventional procurement over the whole life of the project. The public sector benchmarks have been submitted to the Department of Finance for consideration and my Department is currently in consultation with the Department of Finance with regard to the projects. On approval contract notices will be advertised by each of the awarding authorities in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The question of extending capital reliefs to facilitate the construction of geriatric or psychiatric hospitals has not arisen to date.
