merrion street

The European Investment Bank today confirmed its decision to invest €70 million in 14 Primary Care Centres across Ireland. EIB is joined in this enterprise by Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFG (BTMU) and Talanx, a German based insurance company. This is the EIB’s first ever capital investment in Irish health facilities and the Primary Care Centre PPP project is one of the first projects to be financed under the European Fund for Strategic Investment Initiative established to support investment across Europe. The Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFG (BTMU) and Talanx are providing the balance of the significant finance required and are also for the first time investing in Irish health care facilities.
The project is being delivered by the consortium comprised of Prime, Balfour Beatty and its investors Prime UK Holdings Ltd and HICL Infrastructure Company Ltd. In May 2015, the consortium was announced as the Preferred Tenderer for the 25-year PPP (design, build, finance and maintain) contract.
The new Primary Care Centres will be built in counties Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Kildare and Dublin. People will be able to access, in their local community, a wide range of services including GP, community nursing, dental, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work, speech & language therapy, mental health, counselling, home help and nutrition. The Centres will be open at least five days a week, with extra hours at weekends and evenings for some services.
Speaking at today’s announcement, Minister for Health Simon Harris T.D. said “On behalf of the Government we are delighted to welcome their significant investments in terms of expertise, funding, resources, employment opportunities and a 27 year partnership that extends from construction through 25 year facility maintenance. We look forward, with their support and assistance, in the delivery of state of the art 21st century health care facilities.”
The Minister added “One of my priorities will be to implement a decisive shift of the health service to primary care, with the delivery of primary care in every community. I am hoping to develop a 10-year plan for the health service with cross-party support. The initiative will be based on consultation with all political parties and stakeholders, including frontline staff.
Enhancing and expanding capacity in the primary care sector is crucial to ensuring delivery of a preventive, joined-up approach to the management of the nation’s health and the modernisation of primary care delivery. My ultimate goal is to ensure that people get the care they need as close to home as possible, and have access to a greater range of health and social care services in their community.
This investment by EIB, Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFG (BTMU), Talanx, Prime Balfour Beatty and InfraRed Capital Partners Limited makes this community based health care programme a reality for 14 rural and urban communities.”