Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

I wish to raise on the Adjournment the need for the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children to ensure funding to complete the entire project at Longford-Westmeath Regional Hospital in Mullingar is provided and to set a timeframe for completion.

I am proud to say I live in Mullingar and the hospital there is a source of pride for everyone in Westmeath and Longford. In a recent report in the national news, Mullingar was deemed to be one of the best performing hospitals in the country. I appreciate that in the past five years, no fewer than seven consultants have been appointed to Mullingar general hospital, including a consultant in radiology, a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, a consultant paediatrician, a consultant anaesthetist, a consultant physician with an interest in cardiology, a consultant general surgeon and, most recently, a consultant in accident and emergency.

Much has been said about this important project. Despite the difficult circumstances pertaining at Mullingar general hospital, its nurses, doctors and ancillary staff give a fine service. Pious plaudits, however, are not enough and more needs to be done. The development control plan at the midland regional hospital at Mullingar, phase 2B, was completed at the end of 2003 and approval was received from the Department of Health and Children in September 2004.

Members will be aware that several years ago when phase 2A was built and 2B was shelled out, it would then become the turn of other projects in the midland region to receive capital funding. I put in a proposal on this to the then Midland Health Board which subsequently changed this. As a result, the design team was appointed and the project which now stands for consideration in the Department of Health and Children is approximately four times that of the original project. It includes a medical assessment unit, which was recently opened. I extend warm congratulations to the consultant with the unit, Dr. Seán Murphy, and his staff for the excellent service they provide. The rest of the project includes an operating theatre, an intensive care unit, coronary care unit, a rehabilitation unit, an acute psychiatric unit, in which I have particular interest having worked in that area, a child and adolescent psychiatry unit, a pathology department, an occupational therapy department, on-call accommodation, central staff changing facilities, office accommodation, a catering department, a maintenance workshop and a central equipment store. Funding of approximately €57 million has been allocated by the Department and it has accepted the development control plan.

However, matters have not progressed as fast as I would have liked. There is a degree of impatience pertaining to this project among people in counties Longford and Westmeath. I accept the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen's statement on the matter as bona fide. Nevertheless, for the benefit of those who still harbour lingering doubts, it is imperative a clear statement on the project's status is made. The project has been in place for some years. The plan is to complete the shelled-out part of the hospital at the end of next year. Patients will then be moved from the existing hospital so as to proceed with the remaining part of the project. When it is completed it will mean Mullingar general hospital will be a finer hospital with its bed complement increasing from 203 to 311. I want a clear statement on how this project is progressing.