Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, for remaining in the House to consider this Adjournment matter on the need for a primary health care centre in Mulhuddart. I raised this issue some 12 months ago and I am concerned that no progress has been made towards a decision to provide the care centre. Mulhuddart has been growing for a long time. Initially it had principally local authority housing, but it is now seeing a great deal of development in private and shared ownership housing. Its former high unemployment rates are showing improvement too, thankfully.

Mulhuddart is covered under the RAPID programme area and I understood that RAPID was a vehicle through which facilities such as the primary health care centre would be delivered. We have not seen the progress promised under the RAPID programme. I ask the Minister of State to announce a date on which funding will be provided for the care centre and the date on when construction will begin. I hope the Minister of State will have good news because the care centre is badly needed in the area. Many people with young families depend on public transport in this growing area and it needs its own primary health care centre. I hope the Minister of State can tell me when the project will get under way.