Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 178: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position in relation to the proposed replacement hospital for Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda; if a site, or sites, have been identified; if feasibility studies have been carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8864/06]

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. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this case investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

The need to redevelop Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is accepted. Last year a design team was appointed by the Health Service Executive, HSE, to look at the feasibility of redeveloping on the present site. Given the likely level of disruption and costs involved the HSE is now looking at the costs and benefits of developing the hospital on an alternative site. The HSE has also commissioned a study to determine the ideal configuration of hospital services throughout the north-east region and to evaluate the benefits and risks associated with the provision of acute services on five sites for a population of 350,000.