Health centre sites revealed

FIVE new sites are being considered for the Finglas Primary Care Centre that was dramatically scrapped last February, Northside People has learned.

The HSE had been granted planning permission by Dublin City Council to build the health centre on a site bounded by Mellowes Road, Mellowes Avenue and Kildonan Road but local residents successfully appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

The HSE warned this would

“significantly delay

? the provision of a long-promised and badly needed Primary Care Centre in the Finglas South and Finglas West area.

However, it’s now been confirmed that the project may be back on track with five alternative sites now officially under consideration on a

‘without prejudice’ basis.

The sites, named in an answer to a question posed at a recent council meeting by Cllr Noel Rock (FG), include one at Barry Road at the junction with Barry Avenue, which is close to the original planned location.

Other sites named include Cardiffsbridge Road, where it meets Mellowes Road across from the Church of the Annunciation, and the green space facing Wellmount Drive.

The final two locations are at St Helena’s, close to the local resource centre, and a long stretch of land on Finglas Road near the village.

Cllr Rock said that now the council had confirmed its intent to put the stalled Finglas Primary Care Centre back on the agenda he would be ensuring it’s kept there.

“I welcome this release from Dublin City Council which outlines five potential sites,

? he added.

“Regardless of what happened before, it’s clear that Fine Gael wants to provide a primary care centre for Finglas and that the funding can be procured to get this going, but what we need is a clear strategy in relation to a site and agreement around that.

?

The HSE had originally agreed a

?¬180,000 deal with Dublin City Council for the centre to be built on the land at Mellowes. However, in June 2013 local councillors rejected the plan by a vote of 3-2.

Councillors were then warned that rejecting the proposal would delay the project and could jeopardise funding earmarked for the centre.

The plan was put forward again the following month and passed by a vote of 4-1. The reversal angered local residents who had argued against locating it on the proposed site.

The residents mounted a campaign against the centre and were delighted when An Bord Pleanala made the surprise decision to reject the plan.

Cllr Rock is calling on his fellow councillors to pull together this time to keep the project on the agenda and push it forward.

“It’s important that we make sure that there are no repeats of the kind of

‘blame game’ we saw from the old councillors after the last proposal fell apart,

? he said.

“I hope the HSE and DCC will work closely with the community on this and ensure there are no slip ups like last time. I certainly intend to keep the public well informed of this process every step of the way, as I have always worked to do.

?

If it proceeds, Primary Care Centre would house 10 GP clinics and provide a range of medical services such as nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and nutrition and dietician services.