The Minister for Health, Mary Harney has dismissed claims by the Labour Party that agreements to building new private hospitals on State lands should be delayed until after the General Election on the ground that the Government has no mandate for them.
The Labour leader, Pat Rabbitte has said that the projects would be scrapped if his party and Fine Gael are elected to Government.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio's News At One, Ms Harney said the policy was agreed by Government in 2005 and would proceed.
She said the contracts to build the facilities were now a matter for the Health Service Executive to decide.
