Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 204: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has initiated plans to sell off six acres of land in Tuam, County Galway (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33703/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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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. In accordance with the Government decision to release State lands in the health sector for affordable housing under Sustaining Progress in 2004, the Health Service Executive western area identified a number of sites for consideration for inclusion in this initiative, which included a portion of the lands owned by the executive in Tuam. The executive is engaged in a process of reviewing the lands identified as well as all other lands in its portfolio to establish health service needs. This process is ongoing and meanwhile no final decisions have been made in regard to the lands involved.

During a visit to Galway last week, the Tánaiste was apprised of the executive's development plans for the Tuam area, including a community hospital, an ambulance base, a primary care centre, mental health services and administrative facilities. These plans will be advanced in accordance with its service plan and capital programme.

It is not, nor was it ever intended, that the affordable housing initiative would have a negative impact on planned developments in the health sector. The Health Service Executive will strive at all times to strike a balance, in relation to individual proposals, to satisfy, in the most realistic way possible, both its own objectives and those of the AHI.