Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

I support the amendment on the basis of the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Health and Children report on primary care published last month. There is a view that the primary care strategy will be vital in terms of health care provision in the future. The Labour Party believes primary care centres should be licensed by the HSE and subject to the rules of HIQA. If one adheres to the goals in the primary care strategy, one would encourage more people to be treated in primary care centres and moved away from accident and emergency centres. If more people are to be treated in primary care centres, then it is obvious that we need more such centres and, therefore, one must provide some degree of stimulus to bring about more of them.

I am aware of one such centre in north Cork which will bring together approximately 17 general practitioners. The HSE has bought in as an active stakeholder in that process and the PCCC, primary, community and continuing care, programme will arise from the process. There are beneficial social outcomes as a result of facilitating specific reliefs by regulation.

I anticipate the Minister will speak to the issue of property-based reliefs and there is general agreement in respect of their future. However, specific reliefs can be made in respect of capital investment or equipment. We must be far-reaching in this regard. I admire the wording put forward because it allows the Minister a degree of latitude. We should consider the amendment laterally and take a lateral view of how we proceed with primary care centres, which the amendment facilitates.

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