Dr. Emmet Kerin:

I will start with the contract process as it stands at the moment which Deputy Kelliher asked about. There is no big bang where we have to wait for the contract to be absolutely completed before we get to the point where we can start delivering GP lead health care. We can certainly start now. I cannot go into details about what was discussed in the room, but we have brought up over 30 issues we can immediately deliver on.

Those issues range from end of life care to crises management and other areas. We can immediately effect those measures and we have put together pathways to do so. It needs to be supported but it is something we can definitely get moving on.

The relationships between the organisations in the process is something we are looking to build on. We have been doing it by back channelling and making representations. We need to all be in the same room, which the Minister could facilitate. The Sláintecare report recognised that the Taoiseach's office needs to be involved in the implementation of the report. The Minister needs to be in the room with us. In the Scottish contract that has just been negotiated, there were senior organisations and representation from the Minister involved. The Minister can facilitate getting us into a room together and getting the organisations working together. At individual level there is a huge amount of respect. Old histories and cultures might be slightly different but at grassroots level we are all GPs. The committee has heard a huge amount of repetition in the earlier sessions and this one. We are looking for the same things but we just need the enablers and the Minister's involvement would be helpful.