Portlaoise Primary Care Centre delays criticised

A local TD  has said it is ‘hugely disappointing’ that the Portlaoise Primary Care Centre will not be delivered until 2026.   

Chief Officer for Midlands Louth Meath Community Health Organisation, Des O’Flynn, has confirmed to Deputy Carol Nolan that the anticipated timeline for the new Primary Care Centre in Portlaoise is Q2/Q3 2026.

She had sought assurances and updates on a number of health and disability related matters from the Chief Officer following a briefing with HSE executives.

“There will be huge surprise and I think, anger, at the news that the new Primary Care Centre in Portlaoise seems further away than ever,” said Deputy Nolan.

“It is hugely disappointing because as we all recall, Fianna Fáil’s Sean Fleming, previously confirmed in March of 2020 that capital funding had been provided by the HSE to commence planning for the new Primary Care Centre in Portlaoise,” she said. 

Minister Sean Fleming today described the delay as “totally unacceptable” and said the HSE needs to finalise their planning. “It is totally unsatisfactory that a town the size of Portlaoise with 27,000 people does not have a Primary Care Centre,” he remarked.   

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Deputy Nolan said: “The HSE now tells me that the project is only 'being progressed through the various decision gates in line with Public Spending Code protocols and subject to approvals being granted and the availability of capital funding'.”

“I will be engaging with the HSE and indeed the Minister for Health to try and have the development of this project escalated to the greatest degree possible,” she concluded.