Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 274: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the advice she has given to the Health Service Executive in relation to the proposed Mater and children's hospital development; when tendering procedures will be initiated; when construction will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24629/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. The executive is responsible for considering new capital proposals or progressing those in the health capital programme, including the Mater and children's hospital development. In this regard, I wrote to the Health Service Executive on 21 June 2005 conveying my agreement to the executive to proceed with its capital programme for this year, with the condition that the development project should not proceed to tender in 2005 without the specific sanction of the Department of Health and Children. This was necessary given the significant overall capital and non-capital funding requirements associated with the largest single capital project ever undertaken in the health services. There is a clear need to ensure that the best value for money is achieved, along with an excellent building project. With regard to the other issues raised in the question, the Department has asked the parliamentary affairs division of the HSE to arrange to have the matter investigated and to issue a reply directly to the Deputy.