Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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318. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a progress report on the provision of each of the 35 primary health centres prioritised for investment in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27108/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The development of primary care is central to the Government's objective to deliver a high quality, integrated and cost effective health care system. Supporting infrastructure, procured through a combination of public and private investment, will facilitate the delivery of multi-disciplinary primary health care.

Primary care infrastructure at the following locations will be delivered using the public private partnership (PPP) mechanism. These are Coolock/Darndale - Dublin north city; Summerhill, north inner city Dublin; Kilcock; Wexford Town; Waterford City; Dungarvan; Carrick-on-Suir; Limerick City - Ballinacurra/Weston; Tuam; Boyle; Ballymote; Claremorris, and Westport. The HSE included Ballinrobe as a suitable substitute for PPP for locations in the west which could not be progressed. Considerable progress has been made in developing this project. Following a detailed tender evaluation process the National Development Finance Agency announced the Prime-Balfour Beatty consortium as the preferred tenderer in May 2015. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2016 and it is expected that the primary care centres will be delivered by early 2017. In the meantime work is continuing on the financial and legal provisions of the project contract. Additional detail on the project is available on this website: www.ndfa.ie/TenderCompetitions/PrimaryCareCentresPPPProgramme.htm.

Awards of planning have been obtained for Crumlin/Drimnagh and Knocklyon/Rathfarnham but unfortunately this was not within the timeframe for inclusion in the PPP project.

As regards the remaining locations, the mechanism and timescale for delivery of primary care infrastructure is dependent on a number of factors. Regardless of the delivery mechanism, all potential primary care infrastructure is subject to suitable locations being offered/provided/available, to successful planning processes and GP commitment to sharing accommodation and delivering health care services with HSE staff. In addition the operational lease mechanism is subject to market pressures such as the developers' access to adequate financing. Delivery of primary care infrastructure is a dynamic process, constantly evolving to take account of changing circumstances including the feasibility of implementation. To date it has not been possible to satisfactorily progress Donegal town.

The following locations have been included in the HSE's multi-annual Capital Plans to be delivered by direct/own-build - Dungloe; Tullow/Rathvilly/Hacketstown; and Rowlagh/North Clondalkin. It had been intended to delivery Laytown/Bettystown and Rathdrum by means of the direct-build mechanism. However, the proposal is to deliver both by operational lease.

Kells is to be delivered by the operational lease mechanism; its construction will be completed later this year as set out in the HSE's NSP 2015. The operational lease mechanism is also the preferred delivery option for the following locations - Balbriggan which is under construction, Drogheda north, Swords and Tralee. In its November 2014 advertisement for primary care infrastructure to be delivered by the operational lease mechanism the HSE advertised, in addition to others, the following locations - Kilkenny city; Cork city for Togher; Clonmel; Thurles; Ennis; Gort and Ballaghadereen. The closing date for receipt of Expressions of Interest was mid-January 2015, following which the HSE began reviewing the submissions received to determine which are suitable for more detailed consideration and progression to the next stage of the process. Locations are at various stages in the process and a more comprehensive update on this process will be available by end Q3 2015. Although Carrickmacross was included in the November 2014 advertisement no expression of interest was received.