Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. There are a number of projects in the capital programme for 2021 at Naas General Hospital. These include the day procedures-endoscopy unit, the oncology and physical therapy unit and a new acute mental health unit. Funding has been allocated to progress the project design for the day procedures-endoscopy unit and oncology and physical therapy unit projects. The procurement of the design team is nearing completion.

The scope of the acute mental health unit has changed considerably and is currently being reviewed. The service area has progressed an extensive exercise to examine the latest delivered mental health projects, including the national forensic mental health service hospital facility in Portrane. Following this review, service requirements have been rescoped to incorporate different room layouts, wider corridors and additional recreational space. Other scope changes have been made, such as the inclusion of a decking car park and seclusion rooms. The schedule of accommodation has just been confirmed and the design team is now working on the stage 1 report.

The delivery of capital projects is a dynamic process and subject to successful completion of the various approval stages as well as the availability of funding. The development of a modular isolation unit providing 12 single isolation rooms at Naas General Hospital is being progressed. The final contract to construct this unit is expected to be agreed within the next two weeks, with off-site fabrication and associated site works commencing in September. Construction of the modular unit is due for completion in quarter 1 of next year.

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