Primary care centres on the way

A NEW planning application is due to be lodged this month for a long-awaited primary care centre in Dublin 15.

A full design team has been appointed to the project to construct a primary care centre in Corduff.

The centre is planned for a site adjacent to Corduff Shopping Centre.

According to an official from the HSE, subject to the planning application not being delayed or appealed to An Bord Pleanala, it’s hoped that works could get underway on the project by the end of 2013.

It’s estimated that the construction duration will be approximately 18 months.

These works could coincide with a plan to construct a further primary care centre on the Navan Road, which is expected to commence in August or September of this year. These works will also take a year and a half.

However, there is less clarity on the progress on the primary care centre planned for Mountview Court in Summerhill.

The HSE have purchased the site on Mountview Court and is in the process of procuring a design team for the development.

An application has yet to be lodged and the project will be delivered under a Public Private Partnership.

Updates on the primary care centres were revealed at a recent meeting of the Region Health Forum for the HSE.

Cllr Seamus McGrattan (SF) had requested that the HSE ensures that local labour be employed during the construction of these new primary care centres.

However, the suggestion will not be entertained by HSE on the grounds that all publically funded capital work must be progressed in compliance with EU and national procurement law, procedures and national guidelines on employment.