James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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76. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to introduce a primary healthcare centre at a location (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37711/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the provision of a Primary Care Centre in Youghal.  The development of primary care is central to the Government's objective of delivering, a high quality, integrated and cost-effective health care system.

Primary Care Centres have a key role to play in delivering the vision for a reformed health service laid out in Sláintecare, by facilitating the shift from acute care to primary care, and supporting the provision of range of multi-disciplinary services in local communities. 

At present, the HSE is concluding a feasibility assessment for St Raphael’s campus so as to ensure it can be re-generated to accommodate a number of community-based services including: Older Person Residential, Older Person Day Services and Primary Care.  Once concluded, the HSE will use the findings of this assessment to form the basis for a capital submission for the delivery of a Primary Care Centre in St Raphael’s.

Due to the limited size of the campus, the existing buildings on-site, and the varying community service needs, it is vital that the assessment is concluded so the capital projects can be advanced in a co-ordinated way, and to ensure the campus as a whole, yields the maximum return for the population in East Cork.

It is important to recognise that the delivery of capital projects is a dynamic process and is subject to the successful completion of the various approval stages, in line with the Public Spending Code, which can impact on the timeline for delivery.