Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Swanick for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Harris, who sends his apologies. I have been advised by the HSE that primary care services in Kinlough are currently delivered from a rented premises in the town. I understand the services delivered include GP services, public health nursing, including child development clinics, consultant psychiatry clinics, community mental health nursing, counselling services and autism therapy services. As the Senator said, the GP service is provided as an outreach from the main centres of practice in Bundoran and Ballyshannon and the centre is an extremely important part of the community.

The primary health care centre is Kinlough was rented by the HSE in 2004. As this was originally a domestic type dwelling, a number of works were carried out to make the property fit for purpose.The HSE has advised that an issue has arisen about the negotiation on the rental value of the property which is ongoing and as this is a private matter between the owners and the HSE, I am sure the Seanad will appreciate that I cannot comment on this particular issue. However, I want to reassure the Senator that the HSE has informed me that services are continuing to be provided from these premises in Kinlough.

As Senator Swanick is aware, one of the Government's key priorities is to implement a decisive shift in the health services to primary care. Our ultimate goal, and as Minister of State with responsibly for older people, my goal is to make sure that people get the care they need as close to home as possible and have access to a greater range of health and social care services within their community. Enhancing and expanding capacity in the primary care sector is crucial to ensuring delivery of a preventive, joined-up approach to the management of the nation's health and the modernisation of primary care delivery. In a fully developed primary care system, 90% to 95% of people's day-to-day health and social care needs can be met within that primary care setting. It is very important to stress that from the point of view of people using the wide range of services provided by the HSE at community level, services must be responsive to their needs. It must also enable them to receive a joined-up service that results in the most favourable health outcomes.

It is on the record that this Government is steadfast in its support of the decisive shift to primary care and it is useful to point out that some of the successes in helping to achieve this include the extension of eligibility for GP cards to children under six and those over 70, the development of diabetes cycle of care and ongoing investment in the physical infrastructure for primary care. Quite significant investment has also been made in the development of the primary care capacity, particularly in the therapy area.

The Senator will also be aware that the Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare is considering issues such as the long-term vision for health policy, the implications of demand projections for the preferred model of care and how this can be achieved, and the associated funding models. It is important that the committee will make recommendations to guide us on the journey to universal health care. Primary care must and will be a key feature and I await with great interest the outcome of the committee's deliberations.

The Senator's suggestion that this would move into the Leitrim primary care area is something that might be raised after the committee has finished its deliberations and once it is planning the future of what primary care in this country will look like.