Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The development of primary care is central to the Government's objective of delivering a high-quality, integrated and cost-effective health system. Primary care infrastructure is being delivered through three mechanisms: direct build, a leasing initiative and a public private partnership initiative announced in the July 2012 infrastructure stimulus package. The development of primary care centres through a combination of public and private investment will facilitate the delivery of multidisciplinary primary care and represents a tangible refocusing of the health service to deliver care in the most appropriate and lowest cost setting.

Considerable progress has already been made in the delivery of primary care centres. Since this Government came into office in March 2011, a total 37 primary care centres have been opened and infrastructure development is under way or at an advanced planning stage at a further 43 locations, where delivery is expected during the period between 2014 and 2016 or early 2017.

As with all capital projects, the primary care infrastructure programme must be considered within the overall capital envelope available to the health service. There will always be more projects than can be funded by the Exchequer. There is limited funding available for new projects over the period 2014-18 given the level of commitments and the costs of completion. The HSE is concentrating on applying the limited funding available for capital works in the most effective way possible to meet needs now and in the future.

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