John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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575. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to utilise the site and property of the old Dingle hospital to develop an innovation hub for Dingle and west County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45790/17]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I have been informed by Údarás na Gaeltachta that the site/property referred to by the Deputy is owned by the HSE and comprises a building of over 2,500 square metres which is registered as a protected structure and which is situated on a 21.53 acre site.

In recent months a local development group, Mol Teic, has engaged with the HSE with a view to ensuring that this important part of the local community infrastructure can be redeveloped with the support of the relevant public authorities and development agencies. To this end, discussions are ongoing with the HSE and it has been agreed that an investment and development plan be prepared by the local development group.

Funding is currently being sought from Údarás na Gaeltachta to support the planning and research phase of the project. The local development group will engage with the various public agencies and funding bodies during this planning phase to establish the overall strategy and vision for the facility, to examine the feasibility of different development options and to finalise a business plan which will secure the sustainability of the proposed development in the longer-term.

A working group has been established locally including Mol Teic and the relevant development agencies. It is hoped that the development and investment plan will be completed by mid-March, 2018.

At this juncture it is envisaged that the redevelopment will create a regional development centre of local and national significance and provide the requisite facilities, infrastructure and services to accommodate an integrated range of services.