£100 million is being made available for a new hospital in the south west, Finance Minister Mr. Ian Pearson has announced.

The funding is part of a £2 billion government package and removes the uncertainty that there may be insufficient funds to build a new hospital in the west.

“My colleague Des Browne is scheduled to make his decision on the future of hospital services on February 24th.

“I can say that the resources are and will be available so that Des can not only say where the services will be provided, but he can also confirm that the action will follow to make the new pattern of services a reality,” said Mr. Pearson.

Next Monday, Mr. Brown announces his decision on acute hospital services, ending years of speculation.

He is to speak at Belfast W5 lecture theatre in Odyssey Arena on Monday morning.

What happens after the announcement will, of course, depend on what has contained in the Minister’s report.

However, the resources and timing chapter and Bairbre De Brun’s Developing Better Services document gives a clue.

“While the Executive is committed to providing extra resources for hospital services, the extent and speed of that investment will be determined by the Executive taking full account of available resources and relative priorities across all of its responsibilities.”

While it refers to the Executive, in this case, services will begin to be developed by the direct administration.