John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair for the opportunity to speak on the urgent need to ring-fence funding for the stalled primary care centre planned for Mellowes Road in Finglas, Dublin. To provide some background, the centre is in the capital expenditure plan and funding has been granted to get the project started. I warmly welcome this project, which Finglas needs badly. The site that the HSE identified as the best overall location is a Dublin City Council property on Mellowes Road in west Finglas. In order for the sale of land to go ahead, a vote was taken at the north west area committee meeting of local councillors the week before last. Unfortunately, apart from two Labour Party councillors who were in attendance, everyone else voted against the site's sale.

While councillors might have voted against the land's sale for various reasons, the main opposition revolved around the belief that the centre should be located in Finglas village. I respect people's right to decide based on where they believe it should be located.

However, a site was already planned as an ideal location which had been decided by the HSE after much consideration. Essentially, this has resulted in the indefinite stalling of a badly needed primary care facility in Finglas. It could also seriously threaten the funding to build this state-of-the-art primary care centre in future.

At the moment there are not enough GPs located in Finglas west or south to serve a population of approximately 18,000. It is recommended that there should be one GP for every 1,500 people but there are insufficient GPs in the Finglas west and south areas. This location is also recognised as an area of high deprivation. It has acute health care needs that have been identified by the HSE and would be best met in the locality. The HSE has told all public representatives in the area that there is no alternative site that meets its needs in Finglas for this primary care centre to go ahead. The HSE has said that GPs have signed up for this project. The HSE has also told us that it has plans for it but does not have the site to build the primary care centre.

If the HSE does not meet its deadlines for the project, the funding for it may be in danger. That is my major concern. I am very worried that if the proposals fall down at this stage the residents of Finglas will not get the primary care centre they badly need and deserve.

Can the Minister of State with responsibility for primary care ring-fence the funding for the proposed primary care centre in Finglas, irrespective of what happens with the purchase of the Mellowes Road site? Can some flexibility concerning deadlines be given to the HSE's project team? Any time extension on the decision to withdraw funding would give the HSE project team and local representatives the possibility of coming up with a solution that will still meet the need that the people of Finglas deserve, which is a primary care centre there. I would greatly appreciate it if the Minister of State could respond to those questions.

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