Birr primary care centre expected to open within a year

The Chief Officer of the Midlands Louth Meath Community Health Organisation, Des O’Flynn, has confirmed to Independent TD for Laois Offaly Carol Nolan, that the HSE expects the new Primary Care Centre in Birr to become operational in the second quarter of 2023.

Mr O’Flynn had previously informed Deputy Nolan in November of 2021 that the HSE Board had given their approval for the development of the centre and that it was issuing a letter of intent to the developer.

In a statement issued to the Independent TD on Thursday, Mr O’Flynn said the HSE is now liaising with the developers who are required to lodge the planning application for the proposed development.

Mr O’Flynn went on to say that the HSE expects that the planning application will be lodged in the third quarter of this year and that following this, and assuming there are no unforeseen delays, it is anticipated that the centre will be operational in Q2 2023.

Deputy Nolan said it is now critically important for the developers to engage as quickly as possible with the planning process to ensure that the Centre can provide the range of services that are urgently required across a range of disciplines.

It is expected that new development will provide Primary Care, Public Health, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy, Allied Teams Facilities, Dental and Mental Health services when it opens next year:

“I have been engaging constructively on this issue with the HSE since early 2021 and I will continue to do so until we have final delivery of the project across the line and the doors open,” said Deputy Nolan.

“Indeed, I am only too aware that there is considerable need for each of the services that are listed for provision so any delays would be totally unacceptable,” concluded Deputy Nolan.