02/07/2002

Cancer specialist centre gets green light

A new cancer specialist centre has been given the green light by the Executive today as part of £270 million reform and reinvestment package.

Building work on the regional specialist centre at the City Hospital site in south Belfast will begin on Wednesday.

According to the Health Minister the centre, which is expected to be completed in 2005 will cost in the region of £60 million.

The money comes from a funding initiative unveiled by the First and Deputy First Ministers and the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown earlier this year.

Hospitals and schools are the top two priorities in the first phase of investment announced today in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Speaking at Belfast City Hospital where the Centre will be located, the Minister said: “This is a great day for cancer services here. What we will build on this site is a state of the art facility that will serve patients well into this century. It will be able to take advantage of the major advances in the treatment and care of cancer patients. It will establish itself as a world leader in patient care, research and teaching.”

As well as £58 million for the Cancer Centre, there are investments totalling £27 million in essential capacity at six hospitals across Northern Ireland (Antrim, Craigavon, the Mater, Holywell, Musgrave Park and the Erne). There will also be specific projects at Altnagelvin, Stradreagh, Daisy Hill, Belfast City and Muckamore.

In total £110m will be spent on health - while £60m will be spent on school and college buildings.

The Department of Regional Development is another main beneficiary who will get £67m to improve roads, watermains and the sewerage system.

The Department of Social Development will also get £11m to tackle homelessness and fuel poverty.

(AMcE)


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