Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 6: To ask the Minister for Health his views regarding the Health Service Executive paying a substantial amount of rent for a premises in County Carlow, intended to provide facilities that are already available in the nearby Sacred Heart, District, and St Dymphna's Hospital, in view of the fact that the rented premises are not currently in use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17860/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I presume that the premises referred to is located at Shamrock Plaza, Carlow. If so, then there appears to be considerable confusion with regard to the use of the premises and the services to be provided. The facilities at the nearby Sacred Heart District Hospital and St Dympna's Hospital are not suitable for the provision of primary care services.

The new primary care centre for Carlow town is to be accommodated at Shamrock Plaza. The development of primary care teams and primary care centres is a priority under the programme for Government. The first floor is already occupied by threeGP practices and HSE staff will occupy the second floor. Both floors have lift access. Together, these floors will accommodate the Carlow town primary care centre and when the HSE staff move in, the primary care team will be located there. Other businesses, including a bank, a software company and pharmacy are accommodated in the building. There is residential accommodation on the upper floors. There is underground car parking beneath the building and an estimated 1,000 car parking spaces in the vicinity, including a multi-storey car-park. Up to 43 HSE staff will provide a range of health services, including public health nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy services, speech and language therapy, psychology services, dietary and nutrition advice, home help services and general support staff facilities. There are additional rooms to accommodate outreach hospital consultant clinics and other visiting specialists. At maximum capacity, up to 40 clients can receive services at a single point in time. The fit-out has been completed and equipping is virtually completed. The accommodation will be ready for occupation by HSE staff shortly.

The rent paid for any HSE occupied primary care centre accommodation cannot exceed that approved by the HSE board for that specific location. The annual rent for this centre is €320,000 a year, for an area of just less than 20,000 square feet. This rent is less than the rent approved by the HSE board for a premises of this size. Rent payments, which are payable in advance, have just commenced.

Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his response, although I would dispute some of the facts in it. Over the past 18 months, the two words "Shamrock Plaza" have become dirty words in Carlow town. This building is seen as a pay-off for developers who built it in the so-called Celtic tiger years. The building is totally inaccessible. There are a number of car parking spaces, but as far as I understand these are limited to the staff working in the building and are being paid for by the HSE. Once again this is an example of a totally unaccountable HSE, a monster created by the former Fianna Fáil Government of which Deputy Kelleher was a member. At a rent of €1,000 per day, I question the value for money.

Can the Minister confirm the length of the contract entered into for this building? The rumour is that it is for 20 years. At €1,000 per day or €320,000 per year, the cost works out at €7 million over a 20-year period. That is a significant amount of money. We could do a lot more work with it. We could build a facility. What contracts are in place and will they be reviewed over the next period of time?

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I apologise because I do not have an answer to the Deputy's question. I hear his concerns, particularly with regard to accessibility to the site. I will not comment on the other contention at this time, but I will check out the duration of the contract. I will also ask for a report on accessibility to the site and its appropriateness and will check what other sites might be available in the town. It is not the intention of the Government to preside over waste or excessive costs for accommodation, particularly when, as I know, the HSE has many sites rented which are now surplus to requirement. In fairness to the lead man in the HSE in this area, he is seeking to rationalise the situation. For example, now that the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has been set up, the Department of Health will have extra space in Hawkins House which we hope to make available to other agencies so they can give up their leases around the city. We are seeking value for money. If this is a case of waste, I will revert to the Deputy.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The real issue at the heart of this matter has not been referred to. I refer to the requirement for a public private partnership contract. The HSE in Carlow has adequate accommodation for its needs. As the Deputy said, €1,000 per day is being flushed away through the arrangement in question. I have raised this directly in the House and was the first to do so through a parliamentary question last December. The response received from the then Minister made it very clear she was not in a position to roll away from the public private partnership requirement. I welcome the fact that the current Minister is willing to recognise the madness of the circumstances that obtain and to consider reconfiguring the use of existing HSE accommodation. He should take the required steps to address the real problem at the kernel of this issue.

Carlow Town Council has asked that the Comptroller and Auditor General take a direct interest in this matter. Could the Minister check whether the Comptroller and Auditor General is carrying out an investigation into this matter both in Carlow and elsewhere around the country?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We must move on to Question No. 7 in the name of Deputy Colreavy. Six minutes are allowed.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Very briefly-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Can I make one point clear? Two minutes are allowed for the Minister in which to reply. Four minutes are allowed for supplementary questions with a maximum of one minute per person, including the Minister. This amounts to six minutes in total. Other Deputies are waiting for their questions to be answered. I intend to stick to the limit of six minutes.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I will check.