Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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56. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the move towards primary care; if additional staff will be provided for new primary care centres; if not, the centres that will not receive additional new staff; the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16977/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The expansion of healthcare delivery towards primary care remains a key priority for the Government and, indeed, is one of the key features of Sláintecare.

The case for the development of a more integrated, proactive and community-based care model is broadly accepted. Primary Care Centres (PCC) can facilitate such a model by offering a range of multi-disciplinary services that can provide "better care, closer to home" and so play a role in reducing the demand for hospital care.

I understand that, prior to the construction or procurement of any new PCC, extensive dialogue takes place between HSE Estates and HSE local management to ensure that provision is made for current and future staffing requirements. It is important to note that new centres are capable of accommodating the additional staff that may be required as the plans for further shifts of activity to primary care are implemented.

As the Deputy may be aware, specific funding has been provided in recent years to recruit additional staff to support service delivery in the primary care sector as set out below:

- Speech and Language Therapists - in 2016, funding of €4m was provided for the recruitment of up to 83 additional posts, almost all of which are now in place;

- Assistant and Staff Grade Psychologists – again in 2016, some €5m was provided for the recruitment of 114 assistant psychology posts and 20 staff grade psychology posts, with the recruitment process nearly complete; and

- Occupational Therapists - in Budget 2018, over €1m in additional funding was secured as part-year funding for the provision of 40 posts, with recruitment on track for the third quarter of this year.