Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 213: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the Health Service Executive western region has plans to sell off a major portion of the land it owns surrounding a former hospital (details supplied) in County Galway; if the future plans and development of a community hospital for Tuam is doomed to failure if such a sale takes place; the reason the Government purchased this property in the first place if it was not intended to develop the site for a community hospital as promised prior to the 2002 general election. [33877/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy's question relates to property in the ownership of the Health Service Executive. The Deputy will be aware of the Government's strong commitment, in accordance with the national agreement Sustaining Progress, to deliver 10,000 affordable housing units through the ambitious affordable housing initiative, AHI. It is envisaged that housing provided under the AHI would be aimed at those who, in the past, would have expected to purchase a house from their own resources but who find that they are unable to do so in the current housing market.

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 I am advised 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, I 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.

I wish to stress that 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.