Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for the opportunity to highlight the need for a primary care centre in Tullow. We have applied for three primary care centres and there has not been an update on any of them since. The first is a primary care centre in Tullow. We also applied for an injury clinic in Carlow and a primary care centre in Borris. There is a need for these centres given the growth in Carlow's population and the ageing population. Injury clinic and primary care centres are also needed to alleviate pressure on the nearest hospital in the neighbouring county.

Carlow is one of the fastest growing counties in Leinster according to the Central Statistics Office, CSO. Carlow town now has more people living in it than Kilkenny city, yet we have no hospital. We have extensive pressure on the out-of-hours service and limited use of a perfectly good X-ray facility in St. Dympna's Hospital. We need an injury clinic in Carlow to make use of the good facilities already there and to allow for the expansion of the service to properly serve the people of Carlow given our growing population and the demand on this service. Since 2016, the population of County Carlow has grown by 9% or 5,036, bringing the total to 61,968. The CSO figures indicate that the population of Carlow town is 27,351 and the population of Kilkenny city is 27,184. Carlow town's population figures include the area of Graiguecullen. The town is now bigger than Kilkenny city. That is some information for the House.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Carlow city.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Yes. We will have to call it that, a Cheann Comhairle. If there was a minor injury clinic in every town, it would take the pressure off all the accident and emergency departments and reduce the hours people must wait just to get an X-ray. We have a fabulous X-ray department in Carlow but it is only open part time. It is based in St. Dympna's Hospital. It is an excellent facility. I am looking for it to be opened five days a week because of the pressure on the accident and emergency department in Kilkenny. I compliment the staff in Kilkenny who do a great job.

It is also important to have primary care centres in our county towns. In April 2016, I was told the HSE proposed to deliver a primary care centre for the Tullow, Rathvilly and Hacketstown area using its own direct-build mechanism. The HSE said its capital plan would fund the centre. It has told me that Tullow was only identified last year.

I was told it was imminent, but it is still not there. This is an urgently required centre that has been promised for a long time. I have no date for its delivery. I was promised a meeting to get an update on this provision, but I still have not heard word.

When I speak about data and census figures, the county town of Borris has the oldest population in Carlow, with an average age of 44.9. It also needs a primary care centre because of all the towns in Carlow it is the most rural and spans several small townlands. It is a gorgeous part of the county. However, it is seriously under-served. Again, I have to highlight Carlow and our beautiful scenery.

Carlow urgently needs these projects because of the explosion in population. I look forward to working with the Minister of State to achieve this. We have huge issues in Carlow waiting for things. Tullow and Borris primary care centres are required. We also need an injury clinic for Carlow.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The question she submitted was to discuss the provision of an injury clinic in Carlow. I do not have the details on primary care centres into Tullow and other areas the Deputy mentioned. When I read her question while preparing to come to the House to discuss the provision of an injury clinic in Carlow, I realised I would also discuss the provision of an injury clinic in Dungarvan, County Waterford. We are all trying to facilitate things in our areas. I thank the Deputy for her constant advocacy for improved health services.

The national emergency medicine programme model of care recognises the need to support the development of injury units. These units provide care locally in cases where injuries are unlikely to require hospital admission. I am pleased that 15 local injury units are open around the country, each one providing an important service to their local communities. The Deputy is quite right; these units take huge pressure off emergency departments. They also play an important role in reducing the waiting times for patients in emergency departments throughout the country.

The services provided at injury units are held in high esteem by patients. This is evident by the large and growing demand for these services. Approximately 140,000 patients attended injury units in 2022, an increase of more than 30% since 2019. This represents approximately 7% of all urgent and emergency activity in Ireland.

I can advise the Deputy that the HSE has carried out a review of injury units. The review aimed to identify areas of best practice that could be rolled out across the country. The scope of this review included the review of 13 injury units nationally, as well as areas having the most potential need for additional injury units. The review considered the activity, operations and governance of these units. The HSE has advised that the review makes a number of recommendations to improve existing services at local injury units as well as outlining options for future developments. These recommendations are broadly based on two themes: the need to standardise existing services and to identify options for the future development of local injury units in the medium to long term.

All recommendations will, of course, also be subject to resource and other considerations, including alignment with the urgent and emergency care plan being developed by the HSE. I am advised that these recommendations are currently under review by the HSE and it is expected that this will inform the development of an implementation plan.

I visited the injury clinic in Bantry General Hospital about 12 months ago. I was impressed by the facility, which means that people living in that part of the country, that is, west Cork, do not have to go to the emergency department in Cork city or other hospitals such as CUH, Mercy and others. That makes a huge difference to people. I will make inquiries as to when we will see the results of the review because we have 15 local injury units that are very successful and work very well. If we could roll out more of them across the country, it would take huge pressure off our emergency departments.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I want to welcome this. It is important. I welcome the review. No offence, but I will fight twice as hard for Carlow now. The Minister of State mentioned Waterford. In fairness, the Ceann Comhairle always says to me, "Carlow, Carlow, Carlow", but as a passionate lady who is honoured to work for the people of Carlow-Kilkenny, I firmly believe that an injury clinic would be important for us.

We also need clinics in Tullow, Hacketstown, Rathvilly and Borris because, given the population growth, we need to have these services for people. Such units would be a huge help to Kilkenny hospital, which provides a great service. However, it is packed to capacity at all times and can only do its best. I will fight hard for this injury clinic. I welcome the review. I also welcome the ongoing work of the Minister of State and her urgent attention on the health service in CHO 5. It is the first time ever we will have dedicated national youth mental health officer in the HSE. That is another huge achievement by her and demonstrates her commitment to deliver on mental health services.

I have asked for an injury clinic. I have tabled a question on this to the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, two or three times. I will table further questions to him. I firmly believe Carlow needs an injury clinic.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for her kind words. I am delighted to put on the record of the Dáil that for the first time ever in history of the State we now have a national office for youth mental health within the HSE. We never had that previously. Dr. Donal Kelly took up the post on Monday of this week. We also have the clinical lead in Dr. Amanda Burke. I hope this will pull all of the strands of the services we have together to try to make things more effective.

The Deputy mentioned Hacketstown, Rathvilly, Tullow and Borris. There is a programme in place at the moment. Primary care centres have been rolled out across the country over the past ten years. I will check the status of some of those. Obviously, it depends on population and demand in a particular area, as well as budget. We know primary care centres are very important in communities. I will check that out for the Deputy and revert to her in due course.