Mr. Bernard Gloster:

We do not always have to wait for capital approval for either the full building or even the full design team. We get on with preliminary work and scoping to shorten the time when we come to full design. Usually a full design team would be appointed when you are close to knowing you have the capital allocation to proceed but a significant amount of work goes ahead before that.

In the case of Galway, both the Secretary General at the Department of Health and I have been there separately. We firmly believe, and it is being comprised, that Galway and the Saolta University Health Care Group would have a special project team, albeit administrative and not statutory, with expertise from outside of the health service that is willing to help us to make sure the most comprehensive and time-driven plan comes forward for the whole of the University Hospital Galway site and that the elective hospital for Merlin Park is in hand. Galway is so far behind the capital curve, despite last week's more than welcome announcement. We are anxious to expedite that in the best way possible. Our only interest is in leaving Galway in a good state in our term of office. A lot of design work can be done before capital announcements are made and I am permitting as much of that as I can.