Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister would again like to thank the Senator for raising the issue. Primary care centres provide important primary care infrastructure. They can also support the delivery of integrated care by facilitating closer co-ordination and cooperation between health professionals from across different disciplines. They also provide a single point of access to services for the individual and can serve as a resource for the community more broadly by creating a focal point for health initiatives or providing community groups with a place to meet. It is for this reason the development of primary care centres is an important part of Sláintecare, and as part of continued Government investment in the development of primary care, there are now 165 primary care centres, as I mentioned earlier. Among these is the recently opened primary care centre in Ennis, and while further planned primary care centres for County Clare are at earlier stages of planning and development, no timeline for the opening of these can be provided at present. The Department and the HSE remain committed to the delivery of a strong primary care infrastructure in County Clare.