Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy. I know he has been a very strong advocate for the Gorey primary care centre, the need for which has been well identified. A tender process has been undertaken. As he is aware, a preferred provider had been selected, with a letter of intent issued in 2019. Unfortunately, that selected preferred provider encountered difficulties regarding economic viability resulting in the collapse of the process in 2024. To facilitate the readvertisement of this primary care centre, a full review was taken with relevant stakeholders. A number of stakeholders require accommodation in that centre and a scope has been established. That review is now complete and a tender process is under way. The stage 1 tender advertisement was published on 24 June 2025. Stage 1 expressions of interest were received and evaluated and letters have now issued to all parties. It is anticipated that stage 2 priced offers will be advertised on the eTenders procurement platform in the final quarter of this year. The readvertisement and retender process for the project are necessary under the procurement rules.

On the ambulance service, HSE capital and estates, in collaboration with the National Ambulance Service, has identified and agreed a suitable facility for use as an NAS ambulance base and is in the process of securing approval to purchase same, subject to planning approval being obtained. The facility will require capital investment to fit it out as a purpose-built ambulance base. The NAS and HSE capital and estates have completed the necessary documentation to facilitate the progression of the project in quarter 4 of 2025, which I hope is a good update for the Deputy. The HSE is working to appoint a design team in this quarter, with the aim of developing and submitting a planning application in early 2026 to progress the project. Those are two important updates for Gorey.

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