Care centre progress concerns
CONCERN has been raised that Arklow Primary Care Centre could be delayed for another year despite the fact that the project has received full planning approval.
An update from Minister for Health Simon Harris, this week indicated that various primary care centre projects in County Wicklow were progressing well but a Wicklow county councillor says that the Arklow centre could be pushed back.
‘We were told that this is going ahead but now I understand the Government will next week publish a list of projects which are to be postponed and Arklow could be one of them. I hope this is not the case but I am very concerned,’ said Cllr Pat Fitzgerald. ‘I have been trying to contact the developer on this without success and I have had no assurances back from the Wicklow TDs either,’ he added. Minister Harris, however, said that ‘good progress’ is being made with regard to the Bray, Arklow, Baltinglass and Rathdrum primary care centres.
‘Building works are continuing at Bray Primary Care Centre and we expect to have the new centre up and running, serving the community by the beginning of this year. The Bray Primary Care Centre will be a hub for health care services in the Bray area.‘I was really delighted to receive confirmation of the grant of planning permission for the Arklow Primary Care Centre this week. The centre has been delayed due to the planning and design process but thankfully, it will now quickly move to construction,’ he added.
Construction is to being on Baltinglass Primary Care Centre in the coming weeks, works are scheduled to begin on the Rathdrum Primary Care Centre this month and a letter of intent has issued to the developer of the Greystones Primary Care centre. They are now in the process of purchasing the chosen site.