Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Since the start of the humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine and the increase in the number of those seeking international protection, the Government has responded with a wide range of measures. I will address the healthcare measures. The Department of Health and the HSE have been at the forefront in the provision of services for all eligible arrivals. The HSE has developed a refugee and migrant health model to provide a flexible local healthcare response to address the unmet needs of the almost 132,000 new arrivals from Ukraine and other countries. This approach can respond to areas of higher demand, different types of accommodation provision and local health service factors. It includes health assessments, catch-up immunisation clinics and additional GP sessions where local capacity challenges are identified.

The Government is providing €50 million in 2024 to develop the HSE refugee and migrant health model, which includes the provision of medical cards for eligible arrivals. The health model is delivered through the HSE primary care and social inclusion service, which is a fully integrated part of the community-based healthcare service. It provides strong governance and oversight and helps us identify additional demands in local areas.

In addition, the HSE continues to develop and expand public health and primary care services, including the delivery of new primary care centres and enhanced community care services for the entire population. It is worth pointing out that those arriving here seeking assistance and fleeing war in Ukraine are predominantly women and children. Only a small proportion are presenting with significant health needs. A full medical card is provided for Ukrainian refugees and people who register as international protection applicants. An initial health assessment is provided in the national transit centre. An individual health questionnaire has been completed by more than 42,000 people arriving from Ukraine as of January this year. Special GP clinics are being provided to respond to capacity challenges resulting from significant increases in demand for services, particularly in areas where access to primary and community care services may be more challenging. The Department of Health and the HSE are in the process of identifying additional supports that may be required for communities in which there has been a significant number of people arriving - Ukrainians fleeing war and those seeking international protection. This includes reviewing potential additional healthcare needs for general practice services, community-based and primary care services and local hospital services. This is with a view to identifying additional healthcare capacity in addition to the services already provided, which I have gone through.

Regardless of international arrivals, I am acutely aware that there are communities that need better access to health services, be it home care, GP, community or hospital-based services. In response to this general need, the Government is involved in the biggest expansion of our healthcare services in a very long time. It includes a national programme of primary care centres, an entire new community-based healthcare service, more than 1,100 new hospital beds, more than 26,000 more healthcare professionals and a lot more. We are responding to specific local pressures. For example, the Minister, Deputy Foley, and I are working on a plan to bring more GPs to the Iveragh Peninsula, where the number of GPs has fallen from six to three and will soon fall to two. We have specific bespoke services for those arriving in the country. We are in the middle of a massive expansion of our healthcare services to address demand and we are also responding to specific issues, which have been raised.

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