I am critical of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement which was put in place to deliver the Primary Care Centres.
The contract was initiated by the Department of Health to deliver the National Primary Care PPP bundle.
The constraints now placed on the HSE in trying to adapt these building are enormous.
“The HSE now have to agree the layouts of any changes. The PPP company then have to tender the modifications required as they own the buildings and the sites they are built on”.
In the Tuam Primary Care facility the HSE need to provide Xray facilities and Audiology testing facilities.
“Both services are required urgently, funding has been provided but the process of engaging with the PPP company means that the services are taking years to put in place.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform need to re-assess the contracts in place, they need to ensure that we never again take the control away from the HSE in determining what services are put into their buildings, when they are carried out will have to get permission from the PPP company.
“I believe that the present situation is wrong, it is adding enormous cost in delivering additional services in communities and it is delaying the delivery of these services”.
“Government must learn from the mistakes of previous contracts and ensure that our health facilities are delivered in a timely manner and in a manner that ensures value for the taxpayers money.
It is high time that the Office of Public Procurement reviews the concept of PPP contracts and the value they deliver to the state”.