Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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39. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which the Naas General Hospital extension project is being provided for in the capital budget in the current year; when the project will progress to the next developmental stages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37598/21]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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This question relates to the urgently required extension at Naas General Hospital, which has been on the waiting list for some considerable time.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his welcome reply. I ask that particular attention be paid to ensuring that the project goes ahead in a co-ordinated fashion so that everything happens simultaneously, it broadens to include whatever the hospital requires, and we do not have to revisit it in one or two years' time. Will the Minister try to ensure that emphasis is placed on progressing the matter with all possible speed, given the length of time this project has been on the waiting list?

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I will. These projects are important for people in the catchment area in the Deputy's constituency and we need to progress them as quickly as possible.

I will offer a quick update on some of the background to the various projects. The day procedures-endoscopy unit and the oncology and physical therapy project were not prioritised to progress by the service area up until now and did not progress in 2020, given the impact of Covid, but I have outlined the progress. I might revert to the Deputy in my final response, as there are some good details around the change in the scope of the mental health project, which the Deputy has raised previously. To me, that change is good news for providing even better mental health facilities. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is involved in the detail of all of that.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Minister, in that as time goes on, changes are necessary. They are driven by requirements, society and demand. Particular emphasis must be placed on mental health in the aftermath of Covid. Indeed, there will be waiting lists and pressure on all hospitals' facilities, space and staff.

I thank the Minister for the constructive line he is taking. I appreciate that there were difficulties due to Covid, but it is now necessary to proceed with all possible speed lest something else come along to hinder progress. I note the Minister's promise in that regard.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his kind words. In February, he raised the important issue of the scope of the mental health project. Much of it was to be reviewed. The original development proposal comprised the provision of an eight-bed intensive care unit at the existing 30-bed Lakeview mental health unit on the grounds of Naas General Hospital. In 2019, a further revised proposal to deliver 50 bed spaces, a nine-bed intensive care area and significantly upgraded infrastructure was received. In 2021, the scope has again been refined by the service area following a detailed examination of the latest delivered mental health projects to include different room layouts, wider corridors, additional recreational space and the relocation of staff rooms. The Deputy will be supportive of these. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is working hard on the delivery of that mental health facility, the mental health facility in Portrane and mental health facilities across the country, which are desperately needed.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister.