Wait goes on for much needed primary care centre in Offaly
HSE sanctioned Edenderry facility in 2022 and shortage of GPs has Rhode 'jammed'
ISSUES in relation to land ownership delayed progress on the proposal to build a primary care centre in Edenderry, a meeting of the local Municipal District was told.
The long awaited primary care centre was raised by Cllr Claire Murray, Fianna Fail, who said she knew from her work as a GP nurse that there were too few options available for people seeking a doctor in Edenderry, resulting in them reaching out to Rhode.
“Rhode is now getting jammed as a result,” said Cllr Murray.
County Council engineer, Joe Harte, said he was aware that developers had been with the local authority for pre-planning discussions in the last couple of years and he believed a site had been identified.
However, as yet there had been no planning application. “Until that planning application comes in there's not much that we can do,” said Mr Harte.
Cllr Noel Cribbin, Fine Gael, said there had been issues with land registry and land ownership “that slowed it up”.
Cllr Cribbin added: “I've been talking to one of those involved and they're happy enough that's resolved and now they'll put together their planning application.”
Back in April 2022 Joe Ruane, head of primary care with the HSE for the Midlands, Louth and Meath region, said approval had been given in February of that year for a primary care centre in the town and there already had been an expression of interest from a developer and a GP.
Speaking at a meeting of the Edenderry Municipal District, Mr Ruane said a letter of intent was issued by the HSE in March 2022 and a response was then received from the developer.
The centre will be a 26,531 sq ft building accommodating GPs, community treatment facilities, public health nursing service, speech and language therapy, occupational and physio therapy, dental services, diagnostics, a disability team and other facilities. While Edenderry and Rhode had GPs, Daingean had none.