Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In primary care centres developed on HSE-owned land, car parking is generally free of charge. In certain circumstances that are dependent on a centre's location, however, it may be necessary to control car parking and charge for its use. I am assuming that this is when a centre is in the middle of a busy and built-up area. In these circumstances, parking fees are similar to those charged by the local authority for parking in the area.

As the Senator will be aware, local authorities throughout the country operate systems of parking restrictions and fees so as to ensure that parking does not cause obstructions for other people using the roads and footpaths or accessing local businesses or services. In primary care centres delivered by way of operational leases, a specified number of spaces are provided to the HSE under those leases. Any additional parking provided by the developer is under his or her control and he or she may charge fees on these additional spaces. The parking fees charged by the developer are generally in line with the public car parking fees in the area.The modernisation of our primary care structure and practice is vital to the successful delivery of services in the future. The development of primary care teams and primary care centres is a priority under the programme for Government and an extremely important element in the health reform process. The provision of primary care centres and teams throughout the country will significantly increase health and social care in local communities, which will be achieved by redirecting services away from acute hospitals. Primary care infrastructure is being delivered under three mechanisms, namely, direct build, leasing initiative and public private partnerships, PPPs, announced in 2012. As for the slow roll-out - I hope the Senator takes note of this - the development of primary care centres is central to this Government's objective to deliver a high-quality, integrated and cost-effective health system. To date, 90 primary care centres have been completed and a further 16 are under construction. That is in the middle of the worst economic collapse this country has ever seen. In addition, it is expected that the PPP contract for the provision of 14 primary care centres will be signed this month, February 2016, and construction will commence next month. The notion that I am in here-----