€115m to boost health network

Some €115m will be invested in up to 20 new primary care centres.

The centres will be built in two “bundles” of up to 10 apiece. The procurement process will start by the end of this year, and construction will start in 2014.

Each bundle will be built through public-private partnerships, whereby the State, rather than forking out the entire cost of construction upfront, pays an agreed sum each year to a private contractor to build and maintain the facilities.

Such contracts usually run for between 25 and 30 years, after which ownership of the facilities reverts to the State.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny stressed the centres would be built where they were needed, rather than having a string of unoccupied facilities across the country.

This means local GPs agreeing with the HSE to be involved in the centres.

Primary care centres involve multi-disciplinary teams of GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and other health care professionals being assembled in the one place.

Such centres mean the majority of people’s day-to-day health concerns can be dealt with locally, taking the burden off hospitals.

The Department of Health yesterday published a list of 35 locations in which the centres could be built. Twenty of these will get the green light provided agreements are reached.

The 35 locations are:

Balbriggan, Co Dublin

Ballaghadereen, Co Roscommon

Ballymote, Co Sligo

Boyle, Co Roscommon

Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan

Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary

Claremorris, Co Mayo

Clonmel, Co Tipperary

Coolock, Dublin

Togher, Cork City

Crumlin/Drimnagh, Dublin

Darndale, Dublin

Donegal Town

Drogheda, Co Louth

Summerhill, Dublin

Dungarvan, Co Waterford

Dungloe, Co Donegal

Ennis, Co Clare

Gort, Co Galway

Kells, Co Meath

Kilcock, Co Kildare

Kilkenny City

Knocklyon/Rathfarnham, Dublin

Laytown/Bettystown, Co Meath

Limerick City

Rathdrum, Co Wicklow

Rowlagh/North Clondalkin, Dublin

Swords, Dublin

Thurles, Co Tipperary

Tralee, Co Kerry

Tuam, Co Galway

Tullow/Rathvilly, Co Carlow

Waterford City

Westport, Co Mayo

Wexford Town

Time frame

According to its analysis, the Government says 13,000 jobs could be created through this package — but it is very clear that the jobs will not be created immediately.

Construction on the health projects, for example, will not begin until 2014.

Procurement on the education projects will begin next year, but they will be built on a phased basis, and will not all be completed until 2018.

Likewise, “enabling works” to facilitate the development of DIT’s new campus at Grangegorman will begin next year, but the main element will not begin until 2015 or 2016.

Construction on the justice projects will begin next year and continue through 2014 and 2015.

Among the roads projects, construction of the Gorey-Enniscorthy motorway and New Ross bypass projects will not begin until the end of 2014.