Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 316: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the case being made by the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Rochestown Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin for a new 235 bed hospital; if consideration is being given to the proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48266/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The development of a new National Rehabilitation Hospital needs to be considered within the context of a national policy for the delivery of rehabilitation services. My Department and the Heath Service Executive established a Working Group to develop a policy/strategy for the provision of rehabilitation services. Its terms of reference include the development of an appropriate policy framework for rehabilitation and a preferred model of care for the provision of rehabilitation services. The Working Group has met on a number of occasions to date and it is expected to complete its work early in 2010.

In the current economic situation, there is a need to ensure that all developments are planned and implemented to give best value for money and with the most appropriate mix of national, regional and local services. The proposal to develop a new National Rehabilitation Hospital at a capital cost in excess of €100m and a very substantial additional revenue requirement annually, must also be considered in the context of the current economic climate, available funding and competing priorities for limited funding. The National Rehabilitation Hospital has submitted a business case for the development of a new rehabilitation hospital to the Health Service Executive. This submission and developments at the hospital will be considered in the context of capital and revenue funding available for the health services in 2010.