A €48 million health centre in north Dublin which has been lying idle for three years because it was built without Department of Health approval finally opens to patients today.
The Ballymun health centre, which will serve a population of 30,000 people, will accommodate up to 200 health and social care staff including eight GPs who currently work out of a run-down premises across the road.
It will also house a minor injuries unit, X-ray facilities, physiotherapy and occupational therapy services, a public health nursing section, dental services, a social work department, speech and language therapy unit, mental health and addiction services, and home help and community welfare services.
Dr Bríd Hollywood, one of the GPs moving to the new centre, said yesterday she hoped it would help ease pressure on A&E. "It's a one-stop-shop and hopefully we will be able to extend our services and do more.
"Our aim is to look after chronic illness as much as possible in the community and keep people out of hospital," she said.
"Our aim is to try and keep people at home and take them home from hospital sooner."
Computers and other equipment was moved into the new centre on Friday and Dr Hollywood confirmed the centre will begin seeing its first patients from 9am today.
The centre's official opening is not expected for some time, though the head of the Health Service Executive, Prof Brendan Drumm, is due to visit on Wednesday.
In December 2004 Minister for Health Mary Harney said the opening of the centre had been delayed because the development had gone ahead "in the absence of my department's involvement or approval. Consequently, my department must conduct an evaluation of this project".
The former eastern health board and its successors, the eastern regional health authority and the northern area health board, in conjunction with Ballymun Regeneration Limited, a subsidiary of Dublin City Council, had proceeded with the development.
Dr Hollywood said it was great to see the centre opening after "a long battle". The old centre closed temporarily in 2004 on health and safety grounds.