Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It relates to recruitment and I am sorry to belabour the point, but Professor Smith will understand the position. The first cohort of graduate entry medical students are qualifying as GPs. They carry a large burden of debt, having put themselves through medical school at a cost of €100,000 or €120,000. Unless that issue is addressed and a system introduced that will allow them to offset that debt by deferring it over a long period or the Government taking it over, we will lose these graduate GPs. Some 33% of the GP population are over the age of 55 years. Recruitment is essential if they are to be replaced. Dr. Delap may not have a difficulty in recruiting into his centre, but if 33% of GPs disappear in the next ten years, from where will their replacements come?

If universal primary care is to be introduced, we need to double our GP numbers, not lose one third.