Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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358. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the approved funding of €10 million to facilitate a 60 bed extension, the retention of the rehabilitation centre and the provision of a specialised dementia unit in a hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29673/17]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Many public units are housed in buildings that are less than ideal in the modern context, but notwithstanding this, the care delivered to residents is generally of a very high standard. It is important therefore that we upgrade our public bed stock and this is the aim of the 5 year Capital Investment Programme for Community Nursing Units which was announced last year. This provides the framework to allow for an enhanced programme to replace, upgrade and refurbish these care facilities, as appropriate. Significant work was undertaken to determine the most optimum scheduling of projects within the phased provision of funding to achieve compliance with National Standards. By the end of 2016 I understand that 14 projects were operational and a further 12 are expected to be operational by the end of this year.

Under this Programme it is proposed to build a 100 bed community nursing unit in Cashel by the end of 2021, through a Public Private Partnership or alternative funding model, to replace St Patrick’s Hospital.

Operational responsibility for delivering the programme is a matter for the HSE. The Executive has advised that a project team has just been set up for the Cashel project.