Tender for cystic fibrosis unit due shortly

THE TENDERING process for the construction of a 120-bed block for cystic fibrosis patients will be completed “very shortly”, St Vincent’s hospital has said.

In July last year, the Dublin hospital said a number of builders had tendered for the single-rooms project and it aimed to appoint a firm to take on the job in October or November. However no tender has yet been awarded to build the € 40 million unit.

In a statement issued yesterday, St Vincent’s said it was finalising the tender, adding the Health Service Executive had confirmed that capital funding for the ward block was ring-fenced and the site was already cleared.

“We have been in regular contact with the CF Association of Ireland chief executive Mr Philip Watt, and with the CF patient liaison group in the hospital... They have accepted our assurances that the tender process will be completed very shortly and that construction will commence.”

The hospital noted it always accommodated CF patients, “even if that means having to place them in a ward if the en suite beds are full”.

The lowest bidder for the new unit was Michael McNamara. However the company had difficulty securing financial backing for the project, and it was advised by the hospital recently that it was moving on to discuss the project with the second lowest bidder. The company said insufficient time was given to it in light of the “unusual tender structure” involved.

Last year, after the HSE said it would not have funds to begin building the new single rooms at St Vincent’s until 2011 at the earliest, the Minister for Health said developers would be asked to tender for the project on the understanding they would not be paid any money until it was completed.