Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar seo a ardú ar an Athló. This important matter has been in the news for the past week and relates to the primary health care centres. Although the row between the Minister of Health, Deputy Reilly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, is ongoing, the public need primary health care.

I am particularly concerned about the centre in Kells, County Meath, the Minister's addition of which to the list was welcome and understandable. He made the right decision, but what was the reality behind it? For years, a number of efforts were made to get a primary health care centre for Kells and to launch a public private partnership, PPP, model in conjunction with local doctors, yet nothing came of them. My colleagues on the town council, Councillors Sean Drew, Bryan Reilly and Frankie Lynch, tabled a motion calling on the Minister to establish a primary health care centre in Kells. The motion was passed and forwarded to the Minister. Perhaps he decided to reinstate the centre on the list in response to those representations.

The people of Kells deserve to know the up-to-date position. Regardless of the unnecessary brouhaha about the provenance of the list, people in the towns in question want to know whether they will get the centres that they have been promised and deserve.