Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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653. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the refurbishment work carried out and to be carried out at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, County Louth. [1266/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Your question regarding the refurbishment work carried out and under way at the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

Any future investment at OLOL Drogheda must be considered within the overall acute hospital sector infrastructure programme, within the overall capital envelope available to the health service and in the context of the establishment of hospital groups.   In 2015, there will be a structured integration of the OLOL Drogheda into the Dublin North East Hospital Group (associated with the RSCI school of medicine) and this will provide further support for OLOL Drogheda in delivering high-quality, safe patient care in a cost-effective manner.

There will, of course, always be more projects than can be funded by the Exchequer. The method and timescale for the delivery of health care infrastructure is a dynamic process which is constantly evolving to take account of changing circumstances, including the feasibility of implementation.  There is limited funding available for new projects over the next multi-annual period 2015-2019 given the level of commitments and the costs to completion already in place. The HSE will always concentrate on applying the limited funding available for capital works in the most effective way possible to meet prioritised needs now and in the future.

If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office who will follow up on the matter.