asked the Minister for Health when he proposes to allow the building of the new Waterford regional hospital to commence.

I am anxious that building at Ardkeen should commence as soon as capital funds can be made available for the purpose but I cannot be precise at this stage on the exact starting date. In the meantime, I have recently approved a capital grant of £120,000 for urgent works to be carried out in advance of the main contract in addition to a grant of £300,000 which I had earlier approved for interim works at Ardkeen.