Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to raise an important local issue with the Minister of State. It relates to the HSE's plans to close the local primary centre in Passage West, County Cork. The Minister of State knows the geography well because he has a very close friend living nearby in Monkstown. Between Passage West and Monkstown, the population totals over 6,000. It is a beautiful part of the Lower Harbour area of Cork.

The HSE's plan is to relocate the services currently being provided in the local health centre in Passage West to a new, state-of-the-art health centre currently being built in Carrigaline. The new facility will be outstanding for the local community in the area. It is not in the town, rather it is on the Crosshaven road in a local industrial estate. The impact of the closure of the health centre in Passage West has not been thought through. The current services being provided there include public health nursing, speech and language therapy and home help services. One might say that Carrigaline is only over the road. The new health centre is located 11 km away, which one might say is not the end of the world but the problem is compounded by the fact that there is no direct bus service between the two locations.

Somebody relying on public transport in Passage West to get to the new health centre which is being built in Carrigaline will have to get a bus to Douglas and another bus to Carrigaline or, if he or she is lucky enough, get a bus which is headed for Crosshaven. If he or she gets the latter, he or she can disembark from the bus on the Crosshaven road but will still have to walk for close to half a kilometre to get to the new primary care centre. If he or she has to get off a bus in Carrigaline, he or she will be close to 2 km away.

We have to think in particular of elderly people who do not have their own transport and are instead relying on public transport. For them, this is simply not an option. It is not acceptable that parents with young children, young mothers taking children for developmental checks with public health nurses or any other member of the local community who has to avail of the services in the current health centre would be required to find their way to the new health centre in Carrigaline.

I want the Minister of State and Government to give a commitment to revisit this issue. I acknowledge the work of local councillors who have highlighted this issue for some time, including Marcia D'Alton, Seamus McGrath and Michael "Frick" Murphy. They have raised the issue at council level and I have raised it in the Dáil. I also spoke with the Minister, Deputy Harris, about this issue today. The area is growing in terms of population and demand, but there was no consultation whatsoever on the part of the HSE with the local community prior to the decision being made. Rumours started during the summer and the issue was raised at council level. I raised it with the HSE, and tabled a Dáil question in September to which I received a reply in October that confirmed the closure of the local centre in Passage West.

People want an assurance that basic primary care services will continue to be provided in the local community of Passage West. Government policy is supposed to be the provision of essential primary care services at the nearest possible point to the people they are designed to serve. I ask the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Harris, to intervene with the HSE and prevent the outright closure of the health centre in Passage West which will leave many people in a very bad way. I suspect many will simply not be able to avail of the alternative services which will be provided in the new health centre. I look forward the Minister of State's reply.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this important issue. As he said, it is an area I know very well. I spent many years there.

A Programme for a Partnership Government commits to a continued shift towards primary care so that we can provide better care close to home for communities around the country. Primary care centres are an integral part of this because of the range of multidisciplinary services they can provide and the role they play in keeping people who do not need to be in an acute setting out of hospital. Supporting infrastructure, procured through a combination of public and private investment, facilitates the delivery of this multidisciplinary health care.

With regard to the issue raised by the Deputy, I understand from the HSE that construction of the Carrigaline primary care centre is now complete and that this centre will provide primary care services to the surrounding areas, including Passage West. The new primary care centre will add to the 105 already operational nationally and the ten in Cork.

I am advised that the Passage West health centre provides access to speech and language therapy and public health nursing, and that home help services are also delivered from the centre. I am, however, also advised that the centre is in a deteriorating condition - apparently, it is in a very bad way. The services currently being delivered from Passage West health centre will relocate to the new primary care centre. The new centre is currently being commissioned and equipped for HSE services which are due to begin to move from the middle of this month, starting with nursing.

Other HSE services to relocate include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dental, and a home support office. GP practices and a pharmacy opened in the centre in August 2017. Space will also be allocated for additional services not previously available in Carrigaline. In addition, the building will accommodate the children’s disability team for the local network, as part of Cork children’s developmental service roll-out. The centre will provide primary care and network services to the population of Carrigaline and the surrounding areas, including Passage West, which is the region of 26,000.

The HSE has advised that Cork and Kerry Community Healthcare does not have a finalised timeline for the closure of the Passage West health centre. However, it is expected that the provision of HSE primary care services in the centre will cease in early 2018. Planning in this regard is ongoing to ensure arrangements will be in place to meet the health care needs of the Carrigaline-Passage West catchment area.

I know the Deputy was in contact with the Minister, Deputy Harris, about this matter, and the HSE has assured us it will make arrangements to provide the required services at a location convenient to the small number of people who may not be in a position to travel to Carrigaline. I have been advised that local HSE management has offered to engage with any community or voluntary groups interested in delivering health related services from the building in Passage West, further to communication from local representatives in this regard. They are listening to the voices of local representatives.

I have also been advised that the HSE understands the concern from the community regarding access to Carrigaline primary care centre and is in discussion with Bus Éireann on improving public transport access.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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6 o’clock

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. The bus service will not resolve the problem. Even if there is a direct bus service to Carrigaline, it does not take people directly to the new primary care centre and even if one gets on a bus going to Crosshaven, it still does not take the person directly to the new primary care centre. There are really serious and practical difficulties for people who do not have their own private transport and who rely on public transport.

The Minister of State indicated that, having consulted with the Minister, Deputy Harris, the Health Service Executive has made assurances that for the small number of people who may not be in a position to travel to Carrigaline, the HSE will make arrangements to provide the required services at a location convenient to the person. That is a new statement and I welcome it but I am not entirely sure what it means. Does it mean that for elderly people who do not have their own transport or parents of young children who must avail of the service locally, there will a service provided in Passage West? Will the Minister of State elaborate on what he believes that means? If he cannot give an answer on the floor of the House of which he is certain, will he engage with the HSE to get an answer for me?

The bottom line is the people living in Passage West and some surrounding communities who do not have their own private transport rely on the services provided in the existing health centre. We are not wedded to that building or a model of delivering services but people are absolutely committed to the principle that services would be provided locally in the community of Passage West. The new facility in Carrigaline will be fantastic for those in a position to avail of it and it will have wider services. A number of people - I do not accept it will be a small number - will potentially be trapped and end up doing without a service. Will the Minister of State elaborate on the statement and if he cannot, will he please consult with the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the HSE to give us reassurance on its meaning? It sounds promising but I do not quite know what it means.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I accept many of the points raised by the Deputy about senior citizens and other service users. We must ensure services are accessible for such people. The Deputy refers to the indication that the HSE will make arrangements to provide the required service at a location convenient to the person. My interpretation is it will make provision for the people about which the Deputy speaks but I will follow up and ask the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the HSE what is the exact meaning.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister of State come back to me on that?

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Yes. It is important to acknowledge that the local HSE management has offered to engage with any community or voluntary groups interested in delivering services from the building in Passage West. They are also open to listening to the voices of local representatives. The Deputy mentioned that many councillors were supportive of his position as well. We must acknowledge that Bus Éireann must improve the public transport service in that area and discussions are ongoing in that respect. The core matter is making arrangements for the provision of a service at a location convenient to the people affected and I will follow that up, bringing the Deputy's concerns to the Minister, Deputy Harris. We will respond to that.