Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 9: To ask the Minister for Defence the position with regard to the availability of St. Bricin's Hospital to the Department of Health and Children; his views on the extent to which St. Bricin's would need to be upgraded for use in the wider health service; if any such cost would be met by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17608/05]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Defence when he expects to hand over control of St. Bricin's Hospital to the Department of Health and Children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17479/05]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Defence the situation regarding his offer to make St. Bricin's military hospital in Dublin available to the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17560/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 42 and 55 together.

The House will be aware that I have indicated my willingness to make the facilities at St. Bricin's military hospital available to the public health service. Representatives from the Health Service Executive, HSE, and the Department of Health and Children have visited St. Bricin's Hospital to inspect the facilities there. I inspected the hospital facility in late April. Detailed consideration of these facilities for public health purposes is in progress in the HSE and the Department of Health and Children.

The specialist engineering-architectural surveys carried out at St. Bricin's in 2001 indicated that total capital expenditure in the region of at least €20 million, at 2001 prices, would be required to bring the entire St. Bricin's Hospital facility up to the standard of acute health board and public voluntary hospitals. While some upgrading work has taken place at St. Bricin's since 2001, overall, however, the building remains essentially unmodernised. The refurbishment carried out, including fire safety works and rewiring, largely focused on meeting health and safety criteria. The expenditure required would depend on the intended use of the facility. Any such expenditure would be a matter for the HSE and the Department of Health and Children, as I previously made clear.

I am awaiting receipt of the considered opinion of the Department of Health and Children and the HSE arising from their inspections of St. Bricin's Hospital. Any proposals for possible public health care use of St. Bricin's facilities will be considered positively by me. My Department remains available to do everything possible to co-operate in this matter.

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I take it the Minister will agree that when he made the offer of the use of St. Bricin's last month, no proper assessment was made at that point and that there was much publicity, including favourable headlines for him, although there was no contribution to solving the problems in accident and emergency services. Does the Minister agree with the Tánaiste's statement that a significant level of investment would be required to upgrade the hospital to the necessary standard? Does the Minister envisage the money coming from the Department? If the proposal is accepted, is it intended to reserve some or part of St. Bricin's for military use?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I will take the last question first. The answer is "yes", St. Bricin's is primarily a military hospital and the military will always have priority there. Deputy Sherlock asked which Department would pay for the renovations. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that it is the Department of Health and Children.

Regarding the amount of expenditure, as I stated, it would depend on the use to which the hospital was put. The assessment carried out in 2001 concluded that if the intention was to upgrade it to the standard of an acute hospital or a public voluntary hospital it would have cost €20 million at the time. A number of other possible uses were mooted. A price tag was also attached to the option of using the hospital for acute day surgery. It would have cost €3 million to upgrade the hospital for that purpose at 2001 prices. A sum of less than €2 million has been spent since the survey was carried out. It is not long since I made the offer and I have been in close contact with the Department of Health and Children in the interim. I expect a decision on this matter one way or the other very shortly.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Minister referred to 2001 and the agreement that was reached between the then Minister, Deputy Michael Smith, and the Eastern Regional Health Authority. What progress was made and what was delivered on that? I understand ten-day care beds were promised as well as the use of an operating theatre. How much was delivered?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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If I understand the question the Deputy asked, the position is that the then Minister, Deputy Michael Smith, indicated in 2001 that St. Bricin's would be available. The relevant health authority looked at St. Bricin's and decided it would not be cost effective. A number of possible uses were considered. The first option, to turn it into a proper hospital such as an acute hospital, would have cost €20 million in 2001 prices. A detailed feasibility study was carried out on one of three possible options — acute day care surgery — and the price tag to cover a ward and an operating theatre was €3 million in 2001 prices. It was also decided that this was not cost effective and facilities were acquired elsewhere. To date, the health service has not availed of the opportunity to use St. Bricin's, but perhaps on this occasion it will.

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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When does the Minister expect the process to be completed and a final decision made on this matter?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I assure Deputy Sherlock that whatever the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health and Children want to do, they will have my full co-operation. I am waiting for them to finalise their processes. I cannot speak for them.

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Does the Minister have any idea when that might be?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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They have told me they will come back to me shortly.