O'SULLIVAN CALLS FOR ASSURANCES THAT FUNDING OVERRUN ON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL WON'T STALL LIMER

Labour TD Jan O'Sullivan has called for clear assurance from Government that the funding gap for the National Children's Hospital will not stall vital Limerick projects.

Deputy O'Sullivan said:

"Pascal Donoghue's clear as mud response on where the €100 million needed to plug the funding gap for the National Children's Hospital will come from is very worrying from a Limerick perspective".

"We are told that €3 million will be taken from the budget for Flood Relief; will that slow the much needed flood defenses promised for the Abbey River Bank, for Castleconnell and for other Limerick projects?

"We are also told that the Urban and Rural Regeneration Funds will be raided: urban regeneration in particular has been an on-going source of resources for Limerick City communities for many years and we can't afford to lose any of that support. As we see the new Community and Enterprise Centre opening in Moyross, new homes in Southhill and refurbishment of houses throughout the regeneration areas continuing, we have to protect that funding".

"We need clear and unambiguous assurance now that these projects, as well as the 60 bed and 96 bed units in UL Hospital and the St.Camillus's 75 bed project, will not fall foul of the Children's Hospital overrun fiasco"