€56m health centre lies idle over €3.5m fitting-out costs

Medical staff and community representatives in north Co Dublin are frustrated that a new €56 million health centre may not open until next year.

The new health centre, one of the largest in the State, was designed to serve a population of 100,000 across the north city and was to be an integral part of the Ballymun regeneration scheme. It was completed more than a year ago. However, it lies idle at an estimated cost of more than €3.5 million because health authorities have not sanctioned fitting-out costs.

Meanwhile, doctors are continuing to practise out of the existing Ballymun Health Centre despite what are described as Dickensian conditions. Heating faults have at times forced the closure of the building, requiring patients to be transferred to the A&E units of local hospitals.

Now community activists in the Balcurris/Balbutcher Forum, the Coultry Forum, the Popintree Working Group, the Shangan Forum and the Sillogue/ Sandyhill Forum have demanded the immediate opening of the centre. A spokesman for the forums, Mr Aidan Smith, said the community desperately needs the clinic. He said community members would be stepping up their campaign and would start a petition seeking the intervention of the Minister for Health, Mr Martin. While information was hard to source, they had heard "rumours that the centre will not be allowed to open until early next year".

Dr David Gibney a doctor in the existing health centre confirmed the difficulties for medical staff. It was "becoming increasingly obvious that the current health centre is no longer viable. The heating system constantly breaks down and even when working to full capacity the waiting room is always cold".

Dr Gibney said a recent electrical problem forced the centre to closed and "all the patients had to attend Accident and Emergency. The same thing happened one day later".

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said yesterday it was not possible to say when the new health centre could open. The Department was "in discussions with the Eastern Regional Health Authority at the moment and had asked for additional information. So until they get this information they can't do anything further on it." A response from the authority was not available yesterday.