asked the Minister for Health the action being taken by the North Western Health Board to relieve the congestion that exists in the General Hospital, The Mall, Sligo.

I understand that the board set up a project team about six months ago to plan the future development of Sligo General Hospital. As soon as this report is available, I will consider what steps might be approved to relieve congestion in the hospital.

Is the Minister aware that the situation in the General Hospital in Sligo is very serious?

I do not disagree with the Deputy. At times the hospital has more than its complement of patients in relation to the number of beds. The health board set up their own project team in regard to Sligo and I am still awaiting that report. However, I would remind the Deputy that the North Western Health Board, in determining their priorities, decided that the hospital in the region for development in the first instance would be the Letterkenny Hospital which needs to be developed and which has been selected under the Hospital Plan. I do not think I would be wrong in assuming that when the Letterkenny Hospital is built it will alleviate the conditions in Sligo Hospital.