Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Finian McGrath, for coming into the House to deal with this matter. I seek to raise the most urgent issue of the provision of a primary care centre in Finglas. This project was first approved in 2012. In July 2013, it was described by the then Minister of State at the Department of Health, former Deputy Alex White, as a "high priority" location. In February 2015, it was described by Deputy White's successor, Minister of State and former Deputy Kathleen Lynch, as "remaining a priority despite the planning setback", which I am sure the Minister of State will outline in his response today. Following that high profile planning setback from An Bord Pleanála, the lack of impetus and urgency on the part of the HSE to identify an alternative site has been staggering and appalling. Finglas, as the Minister of State will know well, is one of the most under served areas in the country in terms of general practitioners, GPs, and medical services generally. There is a dire need for the construction of a primary care centre in this part of the world.

In response to a question that I submitted in 2015, Dublin City Council revealed that it had proposed five alternative sites to the HSE. That was two and a half years ago but there has been no tangible progress. In 2017 I corresponded with the HSE regarding this matter, arising from a parliamentary question I had submitted. The response indicated that a site had been identified but that a decision from the landowners was awaited. A number of days later, my office received a letter from the landowners stating that they had informed the Department of Health and the HSE that they did not wish for the land to be used for a primary care centre. The landowners had informed the HSE of same some weeks before I received a contradictory answer from the HSE via my parliamentary question.

It is now October 2017 and it appears that we are potentially no closer to a solution. I am hoping that the Minister of State can uses his considerable influence and clout to bring people together and pursue a solution. It seems that there has been a real problem of co-ordination between the HSE, the Department and Dublin City Council from the outset. I imagine that is how the erroneous information came to me via a parliamentary question. It seems that various people within the agencies are not talking to each other. It would be greatly appreciated if we could bring some urgency and impetus to this most important matter. I do not need to remind the Minister of State that this primary care centre was promised five years ago. It was intended to cover more than 15,000 families from St. Margaret's Road to Finglas south. Finglas south currently has not a single GP. It is quite clear that not only do the people of Finglas need this, they deserve it. If we can show our commitment to assisting communities like these by making the plans of the previous Government from 2012 a reality as soon as possible, that will be a job well done.

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