Hospitals Building Programme.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 March 2008

Wednesday, 12 March 2008

Ceisteanna (103, 104)

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

150 Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will ensure that phase 3C of Naas General Hospital is added to the Health Service Executive draft capital plan for 2008 which is with her Department for approval, in view of the shortage of beds at the hospital, the large number of patients regularly left on trolleys at the hospital and the fact that the tender process was completed in 2007 and a preferred contractor was recommended. [11099/08]

Áine Brady

Ceist:

177 Deputy Áine Brady asked the Minister for Health and Children the programme to complete phase 3C and phase 3D of the development at Naas Hospital, County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10870/08]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 177 together.

Over recent years, considerable funding has been made available for the completion of capital projects at Naas General Hospital. In drawing up its capital plan, the Health Service Executive is required to prioritise the projects to be progressed within its overall capital funding allocation. The HSE has been finalising its capital plan over recent weeks on this basis. A revised draft of the plan has been completed and has been made available to the Department, for consideration and approval in the normal way. The draft capital plan reflects the HSE's commitments and priorities. The HSE is currently reviewing a number of options to enable it to progress further capital projects over the coming years and proposals in this regard are awaited by the Department. The capital plan will be published as a whole upon approval. It is not productive to release information about the status of individual projects in advance.