The government has taken steps to strengthen weak columns at Mater Dei Hospital so that they could withstanding earthquakes and were no danger to employees or patients, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne said in Parliament yesterday.

He was answering questions by opposition MPs Claudette Buttigieg and Ċensu Galea.

The latter had asked about the results of investigations after it had been discovered that columns at the Emergency Department were too weak to stand additional construction on top of the building.

Mr Fearne said there had been two simultaneous investigations. After the first inquiry had confirmed that the emergency department columns were indeed weak, a company of international repute had been commissioned to verify the findings.

The report of that inquiry had been drawn up and had confirmed the columns’ weakness.

Another study was being carried out on the structures of the rest of the hospital.

Mr Fearne said the second inquiry had been commissioned to determine responsibilities. Much work had already been done and the board of inquiry was now in a position to issue a report soon.

According to the call for tenders, the columns should have been of C30 strength but in fact were far inferior.

That was not to mean that any part of the hospital was ready to collapse any time soon, but steps had been taken to strengthen the structures.