asked the Minister for Health if he will supply the following information with regard to the building and civil engineering projects for which he is responsible and which have an estimated final cost in excess of £100,000 and which, having been brought to tender stage in the past five years, have been postponed for longer than one year and which are still postponed: (1) the title of each project; (2) a description of each project; (3) the estimated final cost of each project; (4) the names of the design team consultants and the amount paid to date in fees to each of the design team consultants; (5) the reason for the postponement of each project and the prospects for the future completion of each project.

The information requested is set out in the following tabular statement. In general it has not been possible to proceed with the projects in question because of the limitations on the funds available for capital schemes.

Planning was completed on a major development for Castlebar Hospital in 1981. Due to limitations on funds it was not possible to proceed with full development. The development has been phased and tenders for the most urgent part of the development are being considered to enable it to proceed to building without delay. That work will, it is estimated, cost £11 million.

The Merlin Park scheme is under discussion at present with the Western Health Board and it is hoped that this scheme can proceed in the near future.

Projects brought to tender stage since 1 January 1980 (with an estimated final cost in excess of £100,000) postponed for longer than one year, and which are still postponed