Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Primary care centres, as mentioned, provide important primary care infrastructure and can support the delivery of integrated care by facilitating closer co-ordination and co-operation between health professionals from across different disciplines.

The Minister will be aware that sometimes there can be delays due to a variety of circumstances with the development of centres in certain locations and wishes to acknowledge the frustration that this can cause for communities. However, following the completion of a review of the operational lease model, it is intended to reactivate a number of previously stalled PCC projects and it is welcome news that updated submissions for Ennistymon primary care centre will be sought in Q2 of this year. Receipt of those updated submissions will allow this long-awaited development to move forward.

I cannot give the Senator any more details on when the next steps will follow. The best I have today is that submissions will be accepted in Q2 this year.