Health Centre Crisis

With the obvious lack of movement on the new health centre it has again become the number one priority for the Parish Council. The project has once again stalled after continued assurances from all sides that the project was moving forward. It now seems that the initial funding promised has disappeared. The HSE are saying that the funding was never secured in the first place while the government are saying that the funding was allocated for the project and the problem is with the HSE. Even though the current Health Centre has been condemned by the HSE we are still expected to use it. Local representatives have pushed for the project to move forward and have been asking questions as to what’s happening but have got no answers in return.

It is now time that the community backed the project again. A meeting will be held on Thursday 6th May in the Community Centre at 9pm to discuss what future actions need to be taken to get the project back on track.

Here is a brief timeline of the project so far:

December 2007
Press Release: “Pat The Cope confirms new €2ml Primary Care Centre for Glenties” (http://bit.ly/bOGPB6)

April 2008
Press Release: “Pat the cope confirms appointment of design team for €2 million primary care centre in Glenties” (http://bit.ly/cpbx5u)

September 2008
Cllr David Alcorn asks question at a “Meeting of the Regional Health Forum West” (http://bit.ly/c5tak8)

W17Q255 – Cllr. David Alcorn
“Could I have an update on the new Primary Care Centre for Glenties, Co. Donegal, and what is the timescale on the erection of this project?”

HSE Reply:
The new Primary Care Centre for Glenties is currently at stage 2 approval and drawings are with the HSE for user consultation and sign off. The planning application is programmed for December 2008 with a tender period programmed for April 2009. It is hoped that work will commence in June 2009 and that the centre will be complete by July 2010.

May 2009
Press Release: “Pat the cope confirms that the €2 million Glenties primary care centre will go to tender within months” (http://bit.ly/cNxu6Y)

March 2010
Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill asks question during a “Seanad Debate”
View transcript here: http://bit.ly/d70Aww
View video here: http://bit.ly/bLsEgV