Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)
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The Glenties primary care centre is much awaited in the local area and is urgently required. When complete, it will provide a number of services for the people of the area within the town and surrounding areas, such as general practitioner services, public health nursing services, community welfare services, community physiotherapy services, social work services, occupational therapy services, dietitian services, learning disability services, minor injuries procedures clinic, mental health services, physical and sensory disability services, psychology services and many others. The site was acquired from the St. Columba's trust on the understanding it would be used as a primary care centre only. The building that was to be designed would have been a single-storey premises. It would have facilitated the integration of primary care services and individual public health nurses. It would have been based with, and assigned to, specific GP practices.

The primary objective of this proposal is to ensure a fully integrated primary care team is developed under one roof, with a clear emphasis on patient-centred care delivery in Glenties. The new facility that is proposed for Glenties would provide primary care services and community service clinics. It would be used by the broader community for social interaction and activities. A new centre would enable primary care to focus on the needs of individuals and community groups. It would match local needs with essential components like assessment, diagnosis, therapy, nursing, social services referral and rehabilitation. If a new centre is to be provided, it should be developed in a way that facilitates formal and informal interaction among the members of the primary care team.

I am more than a little disappointed with the progress that has been made with the efforts to allow this project to proceed to tender. I have been in constant dialogue with the HSE, locally and nationally, on this issue. I have been advised on numerous occasions that the project will proceed to tender. The initial feedback I received in September 2008 suggested that work on the site would commence in June 2009, with practical completion by July 2010. Obviously we have moved well beyond those dates.

I have been in touch with the HSE at local level again in recent days. All the preparatory work has been done by the HSE team in County Donegal. The project has been given stage 5 approval. The next step that is required will be approval to go to tender. The local team in County Donegal is anxiously awaiting such approval. It is a matter for the HSE at national level or the Government to issue approval to go to tender. The people of Glenties are waiting for that approval. They deserve a primary care team to be established in the new primary care centre in Glenties.

The Government gave a commitment in budget 2009 to support strong and innovative HSE proposals to fast-track the roll-out of new primary care centres throughout the country. I accept the Minister of State, Deputy Dara Calleary, does not have specific responsibility in this area. I am delighted he is here. On behalf of the people of Glenties, I ask him to indicate clearly whether approval to go to tender can be delivered as quickly as possible. That is why it was vitally important for me to raise this matter. The HSE at local level is waiting for formal approval of this project. If such approval is provided, the project will be able to proceed to tender and construction.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Senator Ó Domhnaill for raising this matter. I will respond on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. It is important to affirm the Government's commitment to developing primary care services at local level. In line with its policy document, Primary Care - A New Direction, the HSE is refocusing its services to provide direct community access to multidisciplinary teams including GPs, nurses, health care assistants, home helps, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. This policy is designed to maintain people in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. It will also decrease hospital attendances, facilitate early hospital discharge and support care at home.

The HSE plans to develop 530 primary care teams and 134 primary care and social networks by 2011. Since 2002, additional funding of €52 million has been provided for the development of primary care teams. At the end of 2009, some 222 teams were operating, or holding clinical team meetings on individual client cases involving GPs and HSE staff. A further 31 teams were holding clinical team meetings without GP participation. Almost 2,800 allied health professionals, including 600 new frontline professionals, had been assigned to such teams by the end of 2009. Some 755 GPs are involved in the operation or development of primary care teams. In addition to reassigning staff from primary, community and continuing care services to work in primary care teams, the HSE also intends to redeploy a significant number of staff from acute hospitals and corporate functions into the community.

With regard to the development of a primary care centre at Glenties, my Department is reviewing the HSE draft capital plan for the period 2010-14 and following up with the HSE where further details may be required. The plan requires the approval of the Minister for Health and Children and the consent of the Minister for Finance. Details of the plan will be published by the HSE following its approval.