Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

Wearing his hat as Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy John Moloney, will be very much aware of the benefits which could flow to this country and every citizen if we were in a position to develop primary care centres. All the experts believe — it is shown by a significant body of research work — that perhaps up to 90% of regular health care services could be provided in such centres. This would transform the way medical services are supplied in this country, ensure the days when the hospital was seen as the only source of medical care would be long forgotten and that in all our large towns and many smaller ones we would have centres in which a significant amount of the care services required by every citizen would be provided.

The HSE, presumably in conjunction with the Minister of State's Department, has been working on this concept. There is a view at levels of the HSE that more than 200 such primary care centres should be developed. I am sure the Minister of State is aware that the Joint Committee on Health and Children has also been working on the issue. A report published recently by it is very supportive of the concept. My understanding is that while the HSE aspires to having over 200 such centres throughout the country, plans for approximately 100 such projects are being worked on and considered for construction. Therefore, questions of finance and incentives must now be considered. We have to recognise that in today's economic environment the construction of these centres would be a major financial burden on all concerned. I hope the Minister of State will be in a position to sit down with his colleagues in the Department of Finance to try to put in place some financial incentives to actually make these projects work. Some of the suggestions made to us and, more importantly, by our colleagues at the Joint Committee on Health and Children are that the Department of Finance consider measures such as capital tax allowances, double rent relief, double interest relief and so on. In other words, we are not seeking grant aid or money from the State, rather we are seeking incentives to allow projects to progress which would be controlled and managed by GPs. If we can get these development projects up and running, a huge number of people will be employed during the construction phase of these 100 to 200 centres. All of the key health care professionals will be involved in the development of the centres but, more importantly, we will bring world class health care services to almost every town and village and transform the way health care is provided.

I ask the Minister of State to continue to support the concept behind the projects within his Department. The key is providing some financial incentive. In the context of the Finance Bill, I hope the Minister of State can liaise with the Minister and the Department of Finance to try to kick-start the projects.