Dublin People - Balbriggan residents face nightmare trek

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Balbriggan residents face nightmare trek

Thursday, 03 July 2008

UP to 100 Balbriggan residents are being forced to travel over 20 miles for necessary community welfare services, according to a Northside public representative.
Senator Brendan Ryan (Lab) has slammed the Health Service Executive (HSE) for the “scandalous” situation.
Balbriggan locals have to travel to Gardiner Street at their own expense to process their entitlements,” said Senator Ryan.
The HSE has confirmed to Northside People that the Community Welfare Service for some parts of Balbriggan has been relocated to the city centre but says it is a temporary arrangement to ensure the safety of staff and clients while they find new larger premises.
Senator Ryan is calling for an end to the situation and for the immediate construction of a new Public Primary Care Centre.
“The Labour Party intends to fight the Government tooth and nail on this important issue,” he stated.
“Balbriggan Health Centre is totally inadequate to provide the range of services essential for the people of the area such as public health nursing, dental service, mental health services and community welfare services.
“The existing single storey building, with a prefab extension to the rear, at Hampton Street, cannot cater for the expansion of the services.
“This has resulted from an increased demand driven by the rapid expansion of housing developments in the Balbriggan area.”
Senator Ryan claimed that this has been well known to the HSE and the Department of Health for a number of years.
“Following my representations on this issue, I was informed by the HSE that a number of possible alternative locations in Balbriggan were examined and one had been deemed suitable to accommodate the community welfare services,” he added.
“This has been put forward to the HSE National Property Committee and a response is pending.
Senator Ryan said Balbriggan residents are entitled to a fully equipped public Primary Care Centre.
“However, I fear that this much needed facility may not proceed in the immediate future due to the mismanagement of the public finances by the Government during the Celtic Tiger era,” he added.
A spokesperson for the HSE told Northside People that they recently advertised in the national newspapers seeking submissions for Primary Care Infrastructure Developments for a number of areas on a national basis.
“The Balbriggan area was included on this list but at this stage the outcome of this advertisement is commercially sensitive, as the process has not been concluded,” the spokesperson stated.
“The existing building is relatively small and cannot cater for the expansion of the Community Welfare Service which resulted from the increased customer demand, driven largely by the rapid expansion of housing developments in the Balbriggan area.
“A number of possible alternative locations in the area have been examined.”

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