Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for that clarification. I thought Deputy McDonald would welcome that Government is in a position to make announcements about the provision of primary care centres. I gave Deputy Martin the three headings that apply: direct funding, leasing arrangements and public private partnerships.

The decision in respect of public private partnerships is very clear. If there were only 20 centres on the list, we would run the clear risk of general practitioners not buying in to facilitating the servicing of their primary care centres were they to be built. This was the position at a number of locations throughout the country.

I would have thought that what we are doing here, which is part of the economic stimulus of €2.5 billion announced by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and relating to health, roads, education, justice and the major development that will be the Grangegorman centre, would be welcome. Deputy McDonald will understand that while there are 35 centres on the list, only 20 will proceed to be developed by means of public private partnerships. It is those 20 in respect of which there is competition, buy in and planning permission. In addition, all of the conditions are being measured up to in the context of these centres in order that the final 20 can be got across the line. It is not a case of stating that the 35 centres will be built, one after another. Some 20 centres that can be commenced and completed will be bundled together and will proceed by means of public private partnerships.

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