Bernard Allen
Ceist:361 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the estimated allocation that would have to be supplied to the primary care service to deal with the necessary increase in staff clinics and equipment. [17046/01]
Written Answers. - Health Expenditure.
Responsibility for the provision of primary care services within their functional areas rests with the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ERHA.
Under the national development plan, funding is being provided to health boards and the ERHA to facilitate the development of community health services capital projects, including health centres. The objective is to develop new and to upgrade existing facilities to ensure the health service needs of local communities can be delivered in an appropriate and customer-friendly setting. The health boards and the ERHA have been notified of the annual indicative funding available under the National Development Plan, 2001 to 2006. In the case of community health service developments, the total indicative funding notified to the health boards and the ERHA for this period is in excess of £127 million. The identification and prioritisation of projects which may proceed within the indicative funding are matters for each health board and the ERHA .