asked the Minister for Health why work on the long-promised and much needed health centre in Finglas West/South, Dublin has not commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Health Centre.
11.
Finglas West is one of the five health centres in the Eastern Health Board area which I have recently approved. Provision has been made in the capital building programme for 1977 to enable the planning of this work to be completed and to enable building work to commence.
Could the Minister give an indication when these services will be available to the people in this area?
It will depend on the completion of the health centre.
Is the Minister happy that in an area of approximately 30,000 people there is no health centre?
I am not happy and I told that to the Deputy when he raised this question in June of last year. This year I can make a start on the health centre because money has been allocated. There is a problem with Dublin Corporation in regard to the area of the site which, I am told, is about three-quarters of an acre. In the meantime, the project team are planning the centre and it is expected that building will commence this year.
While the project team are planning people are dying because these services are not available. I am not being emotive——
It sounds that way.
It is not. The people have been there for six years and had I not made representations to Dublin Corporation they would not have even one doctor in that area. Where will these people, many of whom are medical cardholders, get these services meanwhile?
Where are they getting them now.
I thought the Minister should be able to tell me.
I thought the Deputy might be pleased that the centre might be started this year as against the situation which existed last year where there did not seem much prospect of its being started.
Naturally I am pleased to hear that, because we knew they would have to have such a centre. But I am not pleased that we cannot give these people an assurance that a crash programme would take place and that they would have their health centre inside one year. As I see it, they may not have it for two or three years.
This is Question Time.
I do not know how long it will take. There is no delay in the planning of the project and deciding what sort of facilities should be provided. Building will commence this year because money has been allocated for it.
Is the Minister giving an assurance that work will commence on the actual building this year?
Yes, that is my information.