Laois TD Brian Stanley has raised the issue of primary care centres in the county with Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the Dail.
The Independent Republican TD hit out at the status of Slaintecare and its lack of implementation.
He said: “The issue I want to raise with the Taoiseach is the absence of primary care.
“It is over eight years since the Sláintecare plan was agreed for a public health system by all parties in this House.
“It was due to be fully up and running by the end of this year, by 31 December, but, of course, we are so far from the full implementation of its recommendations and what was set out in it.
“Nowhere is this more starkly seen than in the area of primary care.
“Primary care is sparse right throughout the State, particularly in County Laois.
“Despite the best efforts of GPs and staff working in the sector across the State, we are not within a country mile of having a properly resourced and fully functioning primary care system.
“The effects of this are many. There is a lack of timely intervention and minor health issues are becoming chronic, finishing up in hospitals.
“We have emergency departments clogged up with people who cannot afford to go to a GP because they do not have a medical card.
“In some cases, they cannot even get a GP even when they have a medical card or are going privately. On occasion, people who come to me state they cannot access a GP even though they are paying privately.
“Treatments that should be available in primary care centres and local health centres are simply not available. Therefore, it is up to the hospital, which is where people are going. Basically, we have to have health centres and GPs to staff them, in addition to ancillary staff, whom we do not have in this country, to manage and man them and ensure the services are available.”
According to Deputy stanley, in Laois, we are short of the basics on ‘both counts’.
He said: “We have no primary care centre in Portlaoise, a town with a population that exceeds that of Kilkenny.
“It now has a population in the region of 30,000. We have health centres in Mountrath, Borris-in-Ossory, Rathdowney and Graiguecullen that need to be replaced or upgraded.
“In the case of Portlaoise, the design is done but the project requires capital funding to move it on. It is to be located on a perfect site.
“The Health centre in Mountrath is too small and is outdated. It is being talked about but the project needs to be moved on. It is the same for the centre in Rathdowney, which is totally unsuitable.
“A new centre needs to be put in place there. We are moving at a snail’s pace. The centre in Borris-in-Ossory needs to be replaced, and there is now an opportunity to locate it within the old courthouse, which is being refurbished by the county council.
“In Graiguecullen, the position is the same. There is talk of making it the health centre for the south-east corner of Laois, taking in Swan, Newtown, Crettyard, Killeshin and Arles.
“However, this cannot happen because, as things stand, it cannot even cater for the population of Graiguecullen, will the Government start resourcing primary care in County Laois and other counties.”
Deputy Stanley said that Laois, like many other counties, desperately need GPs.
He said: “Mike O’Callaghan of the Irish College of General Practitioners said that we clearly have a deficit in our GP numbers and he listed out a number of counties, including Laois.
“The last time I checked, we were way below what is required. Primary care centres and health centres in other countries include a whole range of services – physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dental, chiropody, mental health services, etc. – but we are miles away from that comprehensive primary care model.
“We have neither the staff nor the facilities. I agree with the Taoiseach that primary care is the cornerstone. He said 79 primary care centres have been funded.
“Will his Government commit to the capital funding needed to construct a new primary care centre in Portlaoise?
“The site and the design are there. Will the Government provide the funding for new health centres for Mountrath and Rathdowney and upgrades in Borris-in-Ossory and Graiguecullen? Will the Government increase the number of GPs per county?
“There is a commitment in the programme for Government to explore the recruitment of HSE-employed GPs. We need to go further than exploring it; we need to do it.
“The programme for Government states, “Explore the recruitment of HSE-employed GPs.” We need to start employing a cohort of those also.
“Will the Government start resourcing primary care in County Laois and other counties?”
In response, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that he would follow up with the Minister for Health and the HSE.
He said: “In the modern area, we have progressed significantly in terms of the provision of primary care centres.
“There are now about 179 of them across the country, 50 of which have been opened since 2020.
“From what the Deputy has said, I would say progress is happening in his constituency. I think he said that in Portlaoise the design stage is complete for the primary care centre and he has said it is an excellent site.
“I anticipate progress in that regard. I will check with the Minister and the HSE in respect of the capital requirements for that. I hear the Deputy loud and clear.
“This is an important centre of population that requires a primary care centre. We fully accept the challenges that are out there and I will inquire about Rathdowney and other locations in County Laois and, critically, the status of Portlaoise project.
“We are committed to primary care, and we will continue to expand primary care.”
