Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the persons that will oversee the new network of primary care centres promised, and if the Health Service Executive was being phased out. [7521/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 73 together.

The HSE has responsibility for the development of Primary Care Centres in line with the Primary Care Strategy and it is the intention that the majority of these will be provided by the private sector through leasing agreements.

In this context the Executive has developed a generic design model for Primary Care Centres, with accommodation for up to three Primary Care Teams per centre. It is the HSE's intention to deliver up to 200 Primary Care Centres using this leasing strategy. The HSE states that, to date, 16 Primary Care Centres are open and a further 12 are under construction or in fit-out.

In addition, the HSE has signed letters of intent in a further 23 locations. The letter of intent indicates that a preferred bidder has been identified. The HSE has indicated that these figures may vary as negotiations for any location may break down due to issues which include cost, planning permissions, developers' access to finance, GP participation, etc.

The HSE expects that approximately 115 Primary Care Centres will be operational by 2013, supporting some 160 Primary Care Teams.

Primary Care Centres in disadvantaged urban and small rural towns / isolated areas will continue to be funded from the Exchequer. Prior to the development of the leasing strategy, a pilot programme provided primary care centres at seven locations. A further nine Exchequer funded centres have been completed to date.

Any decisions regarding the future of the Health Service Executive are a matter for the Government and will be considered in accordance with commitments set out in the Programme for Government.