John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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22. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the long delays in the delivery of a primary healthcare centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20646/19]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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My question relates to the provision of a primary care centre in Lucan, County Dublin. This has been promised for quite some time, by means of a public private partnership through the HSE. That being said, little or no tangible progress has been made and I understand the HSE is now re-advertising the project. Could the Minister engage with the HSE to be more proactive, and to deliver something that is way overdue at this stage in Lucan?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I do not think I have ever gotten to Question No. 22 during my Oral Parliamentary Questions.

I very much welcome Deputy Curran's important question, and this is something about which he has corresponded with me over the last number of months as well. I am well aware there have been delays in developing a primary care centre in Lucan. The HSE has informed me that an advertisement for the development of such a centre was placed in the Lucan Gazetteon 6 April 2017, and a letter of intent was issued in August of that year to the preferred bidder selected by the HSE based on the submissions received. The proposed location for the centre was on the grounds of St. Edmundsbury Hospital. Unfortunately, due to a lack of progress on the project by the joint proposers, which was very disappointing, the HSE decided to withdraw the letter of intent which had, in any case, expired. There was a real willingness, and there remains a willingness, from the HSE to provide this primary care centre. In fact, the HSE has confirmed to me that it is still very committed to delivering a primary care centre in Lucan. Indeed, the project was included in an advertisement published in the national press only this month, on Friday, 3 May 2019. This advertisement seeks submissions of interest from parties that wish to develop primary care healthcare facilities under the operational lease mechanism. I understand from the HSE that one of the parties in the original joint submission has indicated that it intends to resubmit a proposal in response to the new advertisement, and that will need to be considered by the HSE in the appropriate fashion. I am certainly happy to take a proactive interest in this and, if it is of use to the Deputy, I would be happy to meet with Dublin Mid-West Deputies on this in the next month or so and to see what progress has been made.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. It is important that both he and the HSE are proactive. The reason I say that is that this public private partnership in relation to St. Edmundsbury Hospital has obviously run into difficulty, but this is the second time it has happened. A previous location had been identified, went through the planning process, and was refused by An Bord Pleanála. The problem is that the period of time from the refusal of that planning to the next advertisement by the HSE was quite long, taking at least 12 months. It shows a complete lack of urgency in the project and that is why I raise it today, namely, that the Minister might engage proactively to ensure there is an urgency attached to this project and that we deliver a primary care centre.

I would make the one point that in my constituency of Dublin Mid-West, there will be three primary care centres. Two will be by means of a public private partnership and one direct build, but none has turned a sod yet.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for that. From memory, I think we have 129 primary care centres operational around the country, but I will certainly inquire into the Deputy's constituency.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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That makes me feel very bad.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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There is a lovely one in Coolock.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I accept and appreciate Deputy Curran's very real interest in this. We want to see a primary care centre in Lucan, and that has been the HSE's position for quite a period of time. We advertised, as I said, back in 2017 and it was highly unfortunate what happened in relation to the selected preferred bidder. If the Deputy wishes to contact my office, I will certainly convene a meeting with Deputies from Dublin Mid-West next month to monitor progress now that the new advertisement has been placed.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I will show the Deputy around the one in Coolock.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his response, and in particular for stating that he will follow up with me. I acknowledge that primary care centres have opened around the country but it is a fact that in my own area the three that have been promised - two by public private partnership and one direct build - have not materialised. There are obviously reasons for that, but the Minister might stay in touch with me about the Lucan one in particular. I appreciate his response.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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We are certainly going to build a primary care centre in Lucan and I hope the advertisement placed on 3 May yields interest. I am encouraged by what the HSE informs me in relation to one of the parties to the previous joint bid expressing a view that it will resubmit an application. As I said, we will meet with the Dublin Mid-West Deputies next month and monitor progress together.