Planning application for new Portlaoise Primary Care Centre
The new Primary Care Health Centre will be built on the grounds of St Fintan's Hospital, Portlaoise
A PLANNING application has been lodged for a long-awaited new Primary Health Care Centre in Portlaoise.
The HSE has just applied for planning permission for a large centre in the grounds of St Fintan’s Hospital on the Dublin Road, five years after more than €10m was granted for the project.
The proposed development is a four-storey building that will include GP surgeries, dental and orthodontic surgeries, outpatient services, consultant treatment rooms, physiotherapy and occupational therapy rooms, group rooms (CAMHS and day hospital), x-ray and ultrasound services.
The application includes administrative offices, ancillary staff and meeting rooms, clinical and utility stores and waiting areas.
The centre will require a new car park with 104 parking spaces including accessible spaces and electrical vehicle charging places. There will also be 80 bicycle spaces and other facilities, including an ESB substation and linkage of the roads in St Fintan’s campus.
Welcoming the planning application, Laois TD Seán Fleming said: ‘This issue has been under consideration for a considerable time and it is great to see that progress is now underway. I look forward to this application progressing through Laois Co Council as quickly as possible, because it is a much-needed service in the town of approximately 30,000 people.’
He added: ‘Approval of planning permission will give certainty in relation to the timescale of when the project can go to tender and construction. Portlaoise is a growing town in a growing county and this new Primary Care Centre will be a great addition to health services locally.
‘I look forward to this proceeding and improved health services in Portlaoise being made available as soon as is practicable.’
In a statement welcoming the application, Laois Independent Republicans Brian Stanley TD and Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley commented: ‘This is welcome as it’s an issue that we have long campaigned on, as Portlaoise is one of the few towns of its size in the State that doesn’t have such a facility.
‘It’s important that this badly needed facility progresses in a timely manner. We will be making representations to Laois Co. Council to have the planning application expedited.’
