The company behind a new 180 bed private hospital to be built in Dublin is examining sites close to Cork and Limerick for similar future developments.
The Beacon Medical Group's €175 million hospital in Sandyford, details of which were released today, is already under construction and will be completed in January 2006.
A spokesman for the company said it was eager to find suitable sites close to other major urban centres, with the exception of Galway where a new large private hospital was built this year.
When fully operational 550 staff will be employed at the Beacon hospital in Dublin and it will have eight operating theatres. The spokesman said the hospital intends to specialise in oncology, cardiology and radiotherapy treatments.
The hospital will be able to cater for 17,000 patients per year of which at least 20 per cent will be public patients. It will also cater for people referred to it from the National Treatment Purchase Fund.
A contract for the day to day operation of the hospital has been awarded to Triad Hospitals. The Tanaiste and Minister for Health, Ms Harney will offically open the Dublin project this evening.
Under the 2001 Finance Act investors in private hospitals can avail of a capital allowance to the value of 15 per cent per annum for six years and 10 per cent in the seventh year.
This tax break includes construction costs and some equipment, such as computers.
Under the terms of the capital allowance scheme at least 20 per cent of the bed capacity must be made available to the health board. Fees for these patients cannot be more than 90 per cent of the fees charged for equivalent treatment provided to a patient with private medical insurance.
