Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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948. To ask the Minister for Health when approval for capital funding to accommodate a new MRI scanner in Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, will be sanctioned (details supplied). [35805/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The provision of an MRI scanner for the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar is part of a project to extend the radiology department. The project is in line with the overall Development Control Plan for the hospital, which is currently being finalised. The design team was appointed earlier this year and is currently finalising the design feasibility. It is hoped that an application for planning permission will be lodged later this year.

The project is currently funded to design stage only. Further funding for the next phase of development of this project is dependent on the costing and timing of the project, the availability of resources in the context of many other demands across the country, the future capital envelope for the health service and the overall priorities for future service development in the Ireland East Hospital Group. It is proposed that there will be a mid-term review of the State’s capital envelope, which will assess progress and review emerging pressures and demands. It is expected that this mid-term review will be completed in 2017.

There has been fundraising for this project by the Friends of Mullingar Hospital which I understand has raised in the region of €150,000.