This article is from page 5 of the 2006-11-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 5 JPG
THE Health Service Executive expects the first phase of the renovation project at the MidWestern Regional Hospital, Ennis to cost at least double the €20.8 million approved by the Government.
Consultants who carried out the cost benefit analysis on behalf of the HSE have estimated that the long awaited Phase 1A will cost up to €40 million.
The HSE called for the analysis of the cost of the project last August after it emerged that the first phase would cost in excess of €30 million. The increase in cost was a result of changes to hygiene and other requirements in hospitals.
Phase 1A of the project was also extended, adding to the expense, to include extra medical and surgical beds.
Minister Micheál Martin announced the funding for the hospital development as far back as 2002 when he was Minister for Health.
In 2004, Minister Mary Harney approved the funding and a design team was put in place. It was hoped that the hospital project would be at planning stage by last summer. One election on and the project has finally got the approval of the HSE to go to planning stage.
Minister for State Tony Killeen said the HSE approval was an obvious indication that there will be no scaling down of services at the General Hospital.
“Clearly the fact that the project has passed this analysis is very positive and it addresses many of the concerns raised in recent months. An expenditure of this level shows there is commitment to services additional to what are currently available,” he said.