A recently concluded detailed survey on Mater Dei Hospital found that the problem of poor concrete extended beyond the Casualty Department to other sections of the hospital.

"The amount needed to fix the structural defects we have found will be €150m" Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today.

He said works would be carried out according to urgency with the priority being to ensure there was no danger to patients, staff and visitors.

Dr Muscat also announced that Toni Abela, former PL deputy leader, is to start attending Cabinet meetings again as the prime minister's consultant.

Dr Muscat was replying to questions at a Q&A with journalists and Labour party delegates which marked the opening of Labour's annual general conference.

Earlier in his speech Dr Muscat said a formal agreement would be signed between the government and the Malta Employers Association in the coming days to facilitate the employment of persons with disabilities, as outlined in the Budget.

"The way to guarantee integration is to achieve financial independence, this is a social revolution," Dr Muscat said. He also pointed out other initiatives to persons with disabilities, including social housing and better allowances. His wish, he said, was also to better improve benefits for persons whose disabilities prevented them from working.

FUEL PRICES

On fuel prices, Dr Muscat said the international oil price has risen, now touching $40 per barrel, but stability was being maintained in Malta and prices were being reduced in a sustainable manner.

When the oil price was similar to today's, in 2008, diesel was 7c higher in Malta than at present. This process would continue to be followed, as intervals of about six months.

Asked whether he was satisfied of having met the wishes of people, especially those who were promised transparency and a new style of government, Dr Muscat said the government had made a change in many people's lives, such as lower electricity tariffs, lower taxes, free childcare, lower duties for first time property buyers and higher pensions.

But the people rightly expected more and the government had disappointed in some areas or could have communicated better, such as regarding development on ODZ, which only involved one government project. The Panama and Zachary Street issues had disappointed him, and not just the people. 

The problem, in his view was that the opposition was being exceedingly negative and going for tribal intrinsic of pitting blue against red. He was against replying in kind in a way which would build a wall around his party. Rather it would dialogue with those who criticized it, as happened over the university project.

Asked whether it was a mistake to remove Toni Abela from within the party, Dr Muscat said Dr Muscat was not removed and he was wanted the position (in the EU Court of Auditors).

Dr Abela would again be his consultant and would again be attending Cabinet meetings.

He regretted that some of people had tried to undermine Dr Abela or did not help him in his candidacy.

On the Opposition and its leader, Dr Muscat said the leader of the Opposition was 'bitter' while the government always wanted to be 'better'.

Dr Muscat said in reply to another question that pensions would be raised again in the coming Budget and the government would also continue to encourage private pensions and issue schemes for those companies who wished to operate their own pension schemes. This, he insisted, did not mean that the government had changed its mind on second pillar pensions.

Dr Muscat reiterated the government's commitment to remove criminal libel. He said that in 2000 Beppe Fenech Adami had sued  journalist Felic Agius over a phone call carried on One Radio and Simon Busuttil sued  Manwel Cuschieri, then president of the Labour Party.

HOSPITAL CONCRETE

On the case of poor quality concrete at Mater Dei Hospital, Dr Muscat said a detailed report showed that the problem of poor concrete extended beyond the Casualty Department to other sections of the hospital.

"The amount needed to fix the structural defects we have found would be €150m" Dr Muscat said.

He said works would be graded according to urgency with the priority being to ensure there was no danger to patients, staff and visitors.

This was what real corruption was about and how the people would pay for corruption, Dr Muscat said. That money would have been better used on roads and new schools, he said.

The activity is still in progress.