State agrees contract for 14 primary healthcare centres

The State has agreed a contract for the development of Ireland’s first healthcare public private partnership (PPP) project. The €140m scheme, part of the Government’s €2.25bn Infrastructure Stimulus Progamme, will provide a network of primary care facilities.

Sat, 16 May, 2015 - 01:00

Evelyn Ring

The contract is for the development of 14 primary healthcare centres providing GP and other community-based health services.

The centres identified as suitable for the PPP model were chosen from an original list of 35 and will be managed by the HSE after they have been constructed.

Building is expected to start towards the end of this year and the first primary care centre is expected to be transferred to the HSE at the end of next year, with the final centre due to be handed over at the end of 2017.

The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), part of the National Treasury Management Agency, has chosen the consortium Prime Balfour Beatty to build the centres.

Four submissions were received and following evaluation three consortia were shortlisted with the Prime Balfour Beatty consortium selected following a detailed tender evaluation process.

Under the contract, the British builder will design, build, finance, and maintain the network of centres.

The centres, which will range in size from 1,500 sq m to 5,000 sq m, will be built in each of the four HSE regions, with each regional health authority providing a site for the development.

The sites are: Ballymote, Co Sligo; Boyle, Co Roscommon; Claremorris, Co Mayo; Westport, Co Mayo; Tuam, Co Galway; Ballinrobe, Co Mayo; Limerick; Dungarvan, Co Waterford; Carrick on Suir, Co Waterford; Waterford City (East); Wexford Town; Kilcock, Co Kildare; Summerhill, Dublin; and Coolock, Dublin.

The project is one of the first four European projects earmarked to receive funding through the European Fund for Strategic Investment, an initiative between the European Commission and the European Investment Bank to stimulate growth and enhance European competitiveness.

National Development Finance Agency director Brian Murphy said the project, a key element of the Government’s primary care strategy, would enhance Ireland’s healthcare infrastructure. He said they were pleased with the strong interest expressed by Irish and international investors .

The NDFA is responsible for €650m of PPP projects as part of the Infrastrucure Stimulus Programme, with projects including Grangegorman Dublin Institute of Technology campus, schools, and courthouses.