Local TDs welcome progress on Finglas primary care facility

All three Dublin North-West TDs have welcomed news that a primary care centre will soon begin construction in Finglas.

TDs Dessie Ellis (Sinn Féin), Rory Hearne (Social Democrats) and Paul McAuliffe (Fianna Fáil) have each welcomed the news, hailing it as a win for the area.

Construction on the site will begin on May 5,  and deliver a new junior GAA pitch, walking track, separate AstroTurf pitches, a relocated car park, and enhanced green space for Coláiste Íde College of Further Education.

Ellis said the facility is “urgently needed” and was glad to see years of campaigning from himself and local residents come to fruition.

“Finglas is identified as an area of high priority and has a large urban population which is still increasing, and Finglas also has a higher percentage of older people than the national average,” he noted.

Ellis said the primary care centre will be “of a great benefit” to the local community.

“Finglas, to date, has been badly served when it comes to health service provision, so this news is a very positive development and will be welcomed by the whole community,” he said.

Hearne said the news is a “significant milestone” for localised healthcare in the area.

Hearne said, “this is really excellent news for the local community in Finglas, who have waited far too long for a new primary care centre which delivers healthcare in the community; many will recall that the Finglas Primary Care Centre was first identified as a priority site in 2011.”

“With a population of more than 20,000 people in Finglas West and Finglas South currently being without one local GP practice, this announcement by the HSE is a very positive development toward righting that wrong.”

He said the community has been fighting for the centre for “quite some time,” and paid tribute to former TD Róisín Shortall, who lobbied heavily for the centre in her time in the Dáil.

“Given this new primary care centre is set to deliver a full range of primary care, disability and mental health services, as well as local GP practices and Tusla’s integrated services, it is absolutely vital that this project progresses along the timeline provided in this latest announcement by the HSE,” Hearne said.

McAuliffe said, “commencement of works on the site marks a great day for everyone in the delivery of localised healthcare.”

He said that the facility, which integrates primary care, GP practices, local care and Tulsa services, will be a “one-stop-shop” for community health needs.

“It will make it easier to attract more GPs to the area, which will alleviate the difficulties some currently face in accessing GP places,” he said.

McAuliffe said it was “fantastic to see real movement” on the issue.

“The benefits are twofold; this will prevent people from going to hospitals for otherwise routine procedures and basic treatment, while it will also ensure that locals do not have to travel far, keeping care within the community.”

“I look forward to construction beginning on May 5,” he said.

The facility is due to open in early 2027.