Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá mé chun iarracht a dhéanamh labhairt as Gaeilge do Sheachtain na Gaeilge. Bhí cruinniú dearfach agam inné le foireann an HSE san ionad cúraim phríomhúil i dTamhlacht. Tugadh cuireadh dom féachaint ar cad is féidir le hionad cúraim sláinte phríomhúil a chur ar fáil. I mBaile Átha Cliath Thiar Meán, fós níl aon ionad cúraim sláinte phríomhúil againn. Tá obair tosaithe i gCluain Dolcáin agus tá maoiniú ann don obair pleanála do Rualach. Tá suíomhanna féideartha ann i gcás Leamhcán agus Baile Adaim. Seo áis atá de dhíth go géar inár gceantar. Dea-scéal nuachta amháin ó mo chuairt ná go bhfaca mé áis tástála croíthe gur féidir le dochtúirí atreorú air go díreach. Laghdaíonn sé seo an brú ollmhór ar rannóga éigeandála. Tá an togra seo maoinithe trí Sláintecare. Tacaíonn an maoiniú seo leis na baill fhoirne go léir agus teastaíonn níos mó maoiniú. Léiríonn sé seo cad is féidir a dhéanamh má leanann an Rialtas an plean.

Yesterday I had a positive meeting with HSE staff in a primary care centre in Tallaght. I was invited by the HSE to see at first hand what a modern primary care centre can offer. Dublin Mid-West has a large population but we do not have a primary healthcare centre. Work has begun in Clondalkin and only last week we were told that funding is there for design works for a centre in Rowlagh. Possible locations for centres in Lucan and Adamstown are being explored. Our area desperately needs such a facility.

One good news story from my visit which might help the Minister was that I had the opportunity to see a heart-screening facility in Tallaght. GPs can refer patients directly to the primary healthcare centre, which takes considerable pressure off emergency departments. It is an initiative funded through Sláintecare, although the funding provides for only 1.5 staff members. There needs to be more funding but that initiative shows what can be done if the Government follows the blueprints that are there. This is a simple thing that Sláintecare has funded. It is working. More funding would take the pressure off and we would not have the numbers of people on waiting lists that Deputies Mairéad Farrell and Cullinane mentioned. That would be one way to help. If something is working, it is not rocket science to follow it up.

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