Dr. Pádraig McGarry:

On the Deputy's overall question, the Irish Medical Organisation welcomes the Sláintecare report. It is very ambitious. As the Deputy said, there can be issues that need to be addressed. If they are addressed correctly, we can go forward to develop the type of health care system we want. We need to be realistic about the resourcing for general practice. What this needs to be has been well aired but there has to be an upfront commitment that it is going to happen rather than just rhetoric. Unfortunately, we have listened to this for far too long. One loses the will to live when it is heard again and again and nothing actually happens. I would love to see it happen and I am hopeful that it will because I am of the view that we have no alternative. To do otherwise would be reckless. It would almost be seen as reckless trading if it were a business.