Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I compliment the Minister of State on that.

This matter relates to a proposed primary care centre for Monaghan town and north County Monaghan.Over a decade ago Monaghan hospital lost its acute services. This caused much trauma, concern and pain to the people of the county. Since then, they have been forced to travel, and sometimes to take their place in a queue, in order to have an emergency attended to in hospitals either in Cavan or Drogheda. At the time the service was removed, the HSE promised that a primary care centre would be fast-tracked for north County Monaghan. Unfortunately, that was over ten years ago and there has been no sign of a brick being laid.

We all agree on the virtues of primary care. It is estimated that 95% of all health care can be taken care of at a local level. Therefore, it is vitally important that such facilities are fast-tracked, particularly in a county that has no acute hospital services. I am very disappointed with the delay. I understood that different sites had been explored and examined and that a site at the current campus of Monaghan General Hospital had been selected. We expected a lot more progress would have been made long before now and I am sad to say that I have nothing to report at this point. I ask the Minister of State to update me on the current situation and explain the reason for the delay.