The identification, prioritisation and provision of health centres to meet the health and personal social service needs of local communities are matters for the health boards or the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA. Prior to proceeding with the development of such facilities, however, a number of requirements must be satisfied. Of fundamental importance in informing a decision to allow a health board or the ERHA to proceed with a particular development is the availability of sufficient funding to meet the full cost involved. Additionally, all health boards and agencies are required to follow the Department's guidance documentation for capital projects, together with national and EU capital procurement procedures. It is a requirement, in the first instance, for the health agency involved to submit to the Department project details for agreement such as assessment of need, option appraisal, design brief, cost estimates and cashflow projections.
The former Eastern Health Board and its successors, the ERHA and the Northern Area Health Board, NAHB, in conjunction with Ballymun Regeneration Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dublin City Council established for the purpose of advancing the regeneration of the area, proceeded with the development of the project in hand, involving a new health centre and community care headquarters as part of the new civic office development which was to be the centrepiece of the redevelopment of Ballymun town centre. The project was not pursued with either the involvement or approval of my Department.
The latest estimates provided by the ERHA indicate a funding requirement in excess of €60 million for the provision of the facilities. The authority said the Northern Area Health Board intends to acquire its share of the building on a lease-purchase basis over a 14-year period. The indicative annual cost of this proposal over the 14-year period is approximately €4.02 million. The authority has further indicated that the proposed financing arrangement will mean that the Northern Area Health Board or its successors will own the relevant portion of the building after this period.
Additionally, the fit-out of the NAHB's portion of the building has been estimated at €6.35 million and the provision of furniture and fittings is estimated at an additional €2.8 million. Further clarifications to allow my Department to complete its evaluation of the project are required from the ERHA and the NAHB on various aspects of this project, in particular those relating to the overall scope of the project, funding, procurement procedures and value for money.
