Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for allowing me to raise the important matter of the specific allocation of funding for Nenagh General Hospital. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to reply to this matter. He will be aware that there is a considerable degree of local interest, in particular, in the future of Nenagh General Hospital. At least a year ago, the then Mid-Western Health Board approved funding for works at the accident and emergency unit, the laboratories and other works at Nenagh General Hospital. An amount of €2.2 million was specifically allocated for the accident and emergency unit. It was widely anticipated that this work would take place.

When the HSE was set up on 1 January all such applications were submitted to the National Hospitals Office. I and other public representatives were informed that that office would have to approve such allocation of funding. The application for such works was passed to the Minister's desk, it was on the list of capital projects and we waited for the allocation of such funding. The capital projects were announced and the Taoiseach, who was in the constituency since the summer, announced that this spending would go ahead.

I telephoned the HSE on Monday, which I do regularly as part of my work, to ascertain the position regarding the allocation of the €2.2 million only to be told that it was still waiting to be told it could spend this money. That is a matter of some concern. Why is it being told to wait in terms of the spending of this money? Against the backdrop of everything Professor Drumm, the chief executive of the HSE, told us of his plans for acute hospitals, there is a degree of concern that the failure to spend this money on Nenagh General Hospital points to a policy change in terms of its future. It is against the background of that concern that I raise this matter.

I believed the Taoiseach when he said the allocation would be made. When one is told by senior members of staff in the HSE locally that they still have not been given the go-ahead to spend this money, which was allocated well over a year ago, one must ask questions. Hence, I ask why the money has not been approved for spending. Is there a change in policy? If so, will the Minister of State indicate this and state what it is?