Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. The primary care centres are a fundamental plank of the Government's strategy to keep people out of hospitals. This question relates to the previous question in regard to trolley usage in our acute hospitals. In Beaumont Hospital, which is in my constituency, many people are being treated for COPD. Treatment of these people outside of the hospital system would result in up to 45 beds per day or 28,500 bed nights per annum being freed up. There is huge potential in regard to the introduction of the primary care centres.

Perhaps the Minister of State would provide an update on the status of the Coolock, Darndale and Edenmore primary care centres. The method of delivery of the centres, including by public private partnership or operational lease, are subject to market conditions, developers and so on. Perhaps the Minister of State would update me on how often the list in relation to primary care centres is updated in terms of viability and so on.

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