Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her constructive points. I can hear the frustration and annoyance in her voice regarding the slow pace of this project. The development of primary care centres to accommodate primary care teams and GPs in one location is an essential enabler of the delivery of community and primary care services nationwide. The driving force behind the development of the centres is the desire to support the implementation of new models of care that offer patients access to high-quality healthcare services and resources closer to their homes and in their local community.

As I have outlined, there are different factors that can have an impact on the delivery of a primary care centre. These delays are intensely frustrating for all involved, especially local communities who, rightly, wish to see local services developed. Notwithstanding the delays in this instance, the HSE continues to work closely with local GPs and is engaging with private developers to progress the development of a centre in Birr. I assure the Deputy that both my Department and the HSE are fully committed to the Sláintecare programme. The development of primary care centres will continue to be an important building block in enabling the vision of Sláintecare to become a reality. Indeed, significant progress has been made on the roll-out of centres nationally. There are now 135 centres operational throughout the country, up from 70 at the end of 2012.

To reiterate, the HSE recently wrote to interested parties identified in the May 2019 advertisement inviting them to submit their best and final offer for the development and operation of a primary care centre in Birr. The HSE hopes that these submissions, when returned, will be considered early next year and, barring any further issues arising, enable an indicative operational date for a centre in the third quarter of 2022.

To clarify, an indicative centre operational date is when it would plan to have it open. These centres provide a setting in which a wide range of health professionals can deliver better care closer to people's homes in their local communities. I sincerely hope the people of Birr will be able to avail of such a facility in the not-too-distant future.

I accept the Deputy's point about the frustration with the lack of communication from the HSE. It is very frustrating and I will convey that to the HSE.

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