Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is more than ten years since Finglas was promised a primary care centre. A comprehensive study by the HSE and other services was carried out. It identified the urgent need to deliver a primary care centre in the north and west of Finglas. At the time, Finglas was the top priority on the list, ahead of Cabra and Blanchardstown primary care centres which were built a couple of years ago. We were also told there was no issue with regard to funding.

A site was identified and received permission from Dublin City Council, but on appeal to An Bord Pleanála the project was shot down for various reasons. A couple of years later, another site was identified, known as the Church of the Annunciation site. It was planned to build approximately 100 senior citizen accommodation units, wrapped around a new church – the old church is to be demolished – as well as a Tusla building and new primary care centre.

Finglas has a large urban population of approximately 32,000 people at present. The population only started to increase in the past number of years. In north and west Finglas, the population is one of the oldest in Europe and well above the national average. There has not been a GP in the area for more than 20 years. A new primary care centre is needed to deal with minor injuries and provide social care, mental health, GP and other services for the local community. This will also help to alleviate pressure on local hospitals such as Connolly, the Mater and Beaumont.

On the Church of the Annunciation site, an area was identified for this project well over five years ago. However, planners were not happy with accessibility. Since then, negotiations have been entered into with the City of Dublin Education and Training Board, CDETB, which runs the two schools, Coláiste Eoin and Coláiste Íde, on land attached to the side. Agreement has now been reached, but the land has still not been transferred. We were also told this would be concluded in the second quarter of this year. Part of the agreement would also include a provision for an all-weather pitch for the schools.

The people of Finglas are angry that the new primary care centre identified more than ten years ago by the HSE as urgent has not been given the priority and attention required. The people are concerned that the provision of funding for the project has not been clarified by the HSE and Minister for Health. Can the Minister of State provide assurances that funding is available and that there will be no further delays?

I have been dealing with this issue since the project's inception. It is unacceptable that it has not been addressed. I was recently told a design team had been appointed and that the transfer of land would be sorted. This was one of the pillars associated with Sláintecare . The roll-out of primary care centres across the country was something the Minister made an awful lot of fuss about.

The people of Finglas have been badly let down, in particular the elderly who are looking forward to the services to be provided, including services that would help them with their daily lives such as getting therapy and other such things. We now need a commitment to deliver and not prevaricate any longer. Let us move this forward.

See this speech in context