Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Health has asked me to reply on his behalf and give an update to the House on this matter. As the Senator will be aware, a central objective of the programme for Government is to deliver increased levels of integrated healthcare with service delivery oriented towards general practice, primary care and community-based services to enable a home-first approach. Integral to this is the development of primary care centres across the country in our local communities. Significant progress has been made in the delivery of these primary care centres. Some 172 have now been opened and a further nine are in construction. These primary care centres offer a tangible example of the investment this Government is making in community-based healthcare infrastructure.

As the Senator may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday, 6 October. Due to this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. The Minister has been unable to receive an update on progress to date. The HSE confirmed that planning permission has been secured. However, as the Senator is aware, the new primary care centre has been delayed due to the proposals not meeting the HSE’s car parking requirements. The Minister is aware that the Senator has raised this issue numerous times. The Senator will be aware from previous updates on the Gorey primary care centre and from the recent meeting with the Minister and south east community healthcare that the HSE has been engaging in ongoing discussions with the developer regarding the provision of these additional car parking spaces. The HSE has advised that the developer has identified possible car parking options, and should these be deemed acceptable, the proposal will be resubmitted for board approval. Unfortunately, as noted, due to the ongoing industrial action, no further update is available at this time.

Regarding the HSE clinic building at Camolin, County Wexford, this building is owned freehold by the HSE and is currently vacant. Where property in HSE estates is identified as surplus to health requirements, these are available for disposal. Disposals of property by the HSE are conducted in accordance with the HSE’s property protocol. The HSE’s property protocol fully reflects the requirements of circulars by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on the disposal of surplus property, and the protocol satisfies the obligations of section 53 of Land Development Agency Act.

The Land Development Agency is advised prior to the disposal of any property of its availability and is invited to declare its interest in acquiring the property before it is put on the open market for sale. Should the Land Development Agency have no requirement for an offered property, the property is then offered via the State property register to other State entities and the local authority in the area. If there is no State stakeholder interest, the property may be disposed of on the open market.

The former healthcare centre building in Camolin, County Wexford, was identified as surplus to health requirements and made available for disposal in line with the HSE’s property protocol. I can confirm that the former healthcare centre at Camolin is progressing through the stages of the HSE property protocol. The building was offered to the LDA and included in the list of properties offered to Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for potential use for housing. The local authority has expressed an interest in acquiring the property. The HSE will engage with the local authority in accordance with the HSE property protocol.