Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. There have been reports of the selling off of surplus lands in County Galway for housing. I understand a Government decision was taken in respect of surplus lands held by Departments and agencies. I am aware some lands in the ownership of Departments and agencies are not in use. I often wonder if anyone questioned the intended use of these lands. I am aware that any sale of the 31 acres at St. Brigid's Hospital, Ballinasloe, was to be on the basis that the funding would go towards the psychiatric services in Ballinasloe in east Galway.

Similarly in Athenry where there are Teagasc lands, the question was what lands would go for housing, industrial development or other community and amenity purposes. I cannot understand why this issue was raised in regard to Portumna because it was envisaged that the two acres would be part of the development of the old workhouse.

The issue in Tuam is the most striking of all because €3 million was paid to the Bons Secours order in December 2001 for the Grove Hospital and six acres of land. According to Councillor Kieran Cannon, a member of the Progressive Democrats, the six acres of land are to be sold off. If that happens all that will be left will be old buildings. Our intention was to have the six acres developed. One must ask why the lands and property were bought in the first place.

The bottom line is that the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Parlon, are being blamed for information that certain individuals in the Health Service Executive gave concerning these lands. To the best of my knowledge the individuals I know in the HSE western area never knew about this issue and would not have that answer. While the lands may not be in use, as public representatives in County Galway and particularly in east Galway, we all know the intended use.

Regarding the health campus proposed for Tuam, an application was made to the Department in October 2002. We await a decision on that issue. Given that design stage was completed in October 2002 we would like to see a hospital there, an Alzheimer's disease unit, a child care training centre, a primary care unit and an ambulance base in Tuam. An ambulance base in Tuam, with two ambulances and perhaps eight staff would cost less than €1 million. There are ambulance bases at Clifden, Carraroe, Galway city and Loughrea, and Ballinasloe is served by Roscommon, but there is no ambulance base or health campus in north Galway. I would like to see such a service and it is an issue on which I have campaigned for a long time.

I would like to give the Minister of State a sample petition after this Adjournment debate. I have been trying to get people to support the call for an ambulance base and a health campus in Tuam. I obtained more than 4,000 signatures which I have given to the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, with a view to expediting the health campus and the ambulance base for Tuam. However, this cannot be done if people such as Councillor Kieran Cannon make statements in the media that lands in the ownership of the Department and its agencies at Tuam, Ballinasloe, Portumna, Athenry and other places are being sold off. Perhaps the Minister of State will clarify these issues and give us the opportunity to develop the health and housing services which about which Councillor Cannon speaks.