merrion street

The Minister for Finance has today welcomed the announcement by the European Investment Bank, National Development Finance Agency and Department of Health of funding which will support the provision of 14 primary care centres throughout Ireland.
This announcement continues the Government’s programme of addressing the vital healthcare infrastructure requirements in support of a shift towards community-based care across the country.
These new facilities are to be developed in a package under the Public Private Partnership structure, the first time the PPP model has been deployed in the primary healthcare sector. This combined delivery method has successfully been used in the recent past through the National Development Finance Agency in relation to the Department of Education’s school building programme .
This is the first project in Ireland being supported by the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), as part of the Juncker Plan responding to the post-crisis investment deficit in the EU.

Speaking after his attendance at the EIB’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in Brussels today, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan, T.D., Ireland’s Governor at the European Investment Bank, said:
“This project highlights Ireland’s consistent ability to work with the EIB on funding critical investment in Ireland at high levels of funding and in sophisticated financing arrangements.”
“Importantly, these facilities will deliver much needed care across the country and the package is a great example of the public sector working in unison with a focus on delivering value for money in infrastructure investment for the taxpayer as it involves the Health Service Executive working with the National Development Finance Agency and of course the Departments of Health and Finance amongst others.”

Notes for Editors
European Investment Bank
The mission of the EIB, as the EU’s Bank, is to provide long-term low-cost finance to EU Member States as well as to the private sector for projects that contribute to the achievement of the European Union’s policy objectives. The Minister for Finance is a shareholder in the European Investment Bank on behalf of Ireland. In 2015 EIB provided support for projects in Ireland (representing projects approved by the EIB and project contracts which reached financial close) to a value of €1.225 billion.
This healthcare PPP is being part-financed by the European Investment Bank for €70 million of the project debt under the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), part of the Investment Plan for Europe. EFSI provides support for projects throughout the EU with the aim catalysing growth and private sector investment. The project is the first healthcare project in Ireland to benefit from EIB support and one of the first PPPs in Europe to benefit from EFSI funding.
National Development Finance Agency
The NDFA, part of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), acted as agent of the HSE, the sponsoring agency, in the procurement of the project, with the Department of Health in the role of Sanctioning Authority. For further information on the PPP contract award announced today, see the website of the National Development finance Agency – www.ndfa.ie
Department of Health / HSE
Today’s announcement means that the health service will be in a position to deliver more and better quality care in the community. These new centres will provide a range of services including GP, nursing, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy.
The 14 centres will be based in the following regions:

HSE West
Ballymote, Co. Sligo
Boyle, Co. Roscommon
Claremorris, Co. Mayo
Westport, Co. Mayo
Tuam, Co. Galway
Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
Lord Edward Street, Limerick

HSE South
Dungarvan, Co. Waterford
Carrick on Suir, Co. Tipperary
Waterford City (East)
Wexford Town

HSE Dublin Mid Leinster
Kilcock, Co. Kildare

HSE Dublin North East
Dublin (Inner City / Summerhill)
Coolock