Planning granted for €14m care centre in Health Minister's constituency

Plans for a new €14m healthcare facility in north Co Dublin have been approved today.

Fingal County Council has granted planning permission for the centre on Dublin Street in Balbriggan.

The centre came to national prominence last year after it emerged the Minister for Health James Reilly added Balbriggan to a list of places chosen for primary care centres after the final list was drawn up by the HSE.

More than 100 jobs are to be created during the construction of the facility which is expected to take 12 months. Around 80 permanent staff will be employed at the centre.

The four-storey building includes a pharmacy, café, retail units, doctors’ surgeries and 50 parking spaces.

It will also house HSE facilities including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social worker offices, dental services and community mental health teams.