10. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Health for an update on the development of the new primary care centre, PPC, at Gorey, County Wexford. [4437/26]

Sentiment score: 0.16

I ask the Minister for Health for an update on the long-promised, long-awaited and long-overdue primary care centre at Gorey, County Wexford.

Sentiment score: 0.49

The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, will recall that in my time in the Seanad, I raised this issue four times as a Commencement matter. I raised it as a Topical Issue in this House on 13 February last year, which was also answered by the Minister of State. She concluded her response on that occasion by saying: "I have no doubt I will be back in here again to answer about the Gorey primary care centre." The commitment from the HSE at that time, which she said was certain, was that the advertising on the eTenders procurement platform would happen in quarter 1 of last year. As the Minister stated this morning, the project was not advertised until 24 June 2025. The problem is that, time and again, the HSE, despite all its promises, does not meet any of its timelines. Will the Minister directly intervene to ensure this project progresses? When the former Minister, Stephen Donnelly, was in office, it was only through his intervention that certain decisions were secured. I am asking the Minister, please, to intervene. This is critical to the people of north Wexford.

Sentiment score: 0.08

I recognise the Minister's commitment in this area. It is critical that we have a primary care centre that will include the local CDNT, have adequate facilities and include the planned additional CAMHS unit. My issue has been that when the project was conceived in 2010, everyone locally said the site identified by the HSE would not work. Finally, the HSE accepted that. When we had a meeting with the then Minister, Stephen Donnelly, his remark about the project was that even with all the time delays concerning the national children's hospital, the latter was conceived and will be delivered before we even see a shovel in the ground at the Gorey primary care centre. One of the biggest issues we have in north Wexford, because of the rapid growth in population, is access to GP and other healthcare services. I do not doubt the Minister's commitment but the problem we see, time and again, is the HSE missing deadlines.

Sentiment score: 0.19