This article is from page 8 of the 2006-08-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
CLARE’S junior Minister Tony Killeen has described the cost benefit analysis of the development of Ennis Hospital as an “obstacle to be crossed.”
The HSE called for the analysis when it emerged that the first phase of the project would now cost in excess of €30 million.
This week Clare’s Minister for State said that should the obstacle be overcome, “it indicates that the future of the hospital is acknowledged by the HSE”.
He has rejected any conspiracy theories that the HSE are planning to “scupper” the project.
Minister Killeen was also adamant that the first phase of the project should not be scaled back so that it would cost less than the €20 million allocated.
Originally, phase one of the project was much smaller but other necessary improvements were added.
“The additional items are welcome and were very hard fought for and I am completely against going back,” said Minister Killeen.
“I am confident that it will get through this examination but I am concerned as to how long it will take,” he added.
In a letter to the Minister for State from the Office of the Financial Director of the health service said it was anxious to facilitate the refurbishment and infrastructural improvement of Ennis General Hospital. The letter also pointed out that the project must be considered in line with the Department of Finance Guidelines/HSE capital projects approval process.
“Each individual project within the capital programme must be separately approved following analysis by the HSE Capital Planning Group in line with relevant guidelines. In this regard, there are a number of issues concerning the Ennis Phase 1A Project that need to be addressed before the Planning Group could recommend that a project approval letter issue.”