asked the Minister for Health if finance will be available to open the new general hospital in Tralee, County Kerry, in April 1984.

A special non-capital allocation of £2 million has been approved for the Southern Health Board to enable the new general hospital in Tralee to open in 1984. It is anticipated that the hospital will be opened in April.

The Minister said in his reply that it is anticipated that the hospital will be opened in April. Will the Minister confirm that the hospital will open in April, and on what date?

I hope to issue an invitation to the Deputy to be present when the matron receives the first patient into that hospital when I shall be present. Approximately 25 April is the date now being considered.

Is it intended to open less than half the full complement of the new hospital on 25 April next?

It has always been the arrangement that the various bed complements would be phased into operation, namely, that of a total of 425 beds, 312 will be brought into operation initially and the remainder at a later date. For example, the 50 psychiatric beds will take time to get under way; then there are 30 geriatric assessment beds, eight hostel beds and 15 beds which have not yet been identified for any speciality. The board approved of all that arrangement in April 1982. I am glad to say that at long last, about 25 April next, we shall have the first patient transferred over.

Can I take it that there will be 312 beds made available on 25 April next? How long will it take before the remaining beds will become available?

That question has already been answered.

No.

Well unless my hearing is defective it has been. Question No. 3.

Have negotiations on the staffing levels been completed with the trade unions concerned?

Yes, they have been very difficult negotiations. I mentioned a total of 350 staff. Initially 160 additional staff will be necessary to open the first phase. These will be recruited by April and the remaining 174 will be recruited during the remainder of this year. Therefore, by the end of 1984, there will be 650 people approximately employed in the hospital. The equipping of the hospital is now being completed and we do not envisage any difficulties there. I should like to put on record my thanks to Mr. Walsh, Mr. O'Sullivan and his colleagues and to Denis Dudley, in the Southern Health Board, for their co-operation in the staffing arrangements. It has been very difficult because of the pressures on my Department but so far everything is on target.

They are excellent people if the Minister would only give them a few shillings.