Senator Gareth Scahill has moved to clarify the current position on the long-awaited Ballaghaderreen Primary Care Centre, saying significant progress has been made but cautioning that suggestions of an imminent announcement on a new site are premature.
Senator Scahill said he has been in regular contact with the HSE regarding the project and has been working closely with local councillors Micheál Frain and Liam Callaghan to keep pressure on for the delivery of the facility.
“There is positive news here”, he said. “The HSE has made significant progress in identifying a site for the new Primary Care Centre and, following the evaluation process, a preferred site has been identified.
“However, I want to be clear with people in Ballaghaderreen that identifying a preferred site is not the same as having a completed agreement to purchase that site. There are still important steps that have to be completed before the HSE is in a position to make a final public announcement.”
Plans for the Primary Care Centre suffered a major setback in early 2025 when the developer previously selected to deliver the project confirmed they were no longer in a position to proceed.
Following that setback, the HSE reviewed its options, and in December 2025, sought expressions of interest for suitable sites of approximately 1.5 to 3.5 acres in or close to Ballaghaderreen. A number of sites were subsequently submitted and assessed by the HSE.
Senator Scahill said the process has now progressed considerably, but further work remains. “The evaluation has identified a preferred site along with alternative options. All applicants must now be informed of the outcome of that process and provided with the appropriate feedback.
“There are then further steps around valuation, approval and ultimately the acquisition of the site, before any purchase can be completed.”
Senator Scahill said reports of an imminent announcement, before applicants had received feedback, risked causing unnecessary concern and creating unrealistic expectations in the community: “I would love to be able to say that an announcement is only days or weeks away, but after the history of this project I think the people of Ballaghaderreen deserve accuracy rather than another timeline that may not be met.
“This should not take away from the progress that has been made. We have gone from the very significant setback of losing the previous developer to having a number of potential sites assessed and a preferred option emerging. The priority now has to be getting the remaining process completed properly and as quickly as possible.”
