Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will start and Mr. O'Sullivan might take questions that relate to the HSE.

On the State Claims Agency issue, the point the Senator makes is exactly the sort of point we need to be teasing through. The Taoiseach has asked the Attorney General to do a body of work on this. It is a question of how we can get ourselves to a position whereby liability rests in the correct place legally and the State does not end up in an adversarial position in relation to women in this country. We do not want to be in that position. That is what the Government is teasing its way through.

With regard to the GP contract, engagement has commenced. I have said on a number of occasions, and must state again, that I do not intend to provide a running commentary on this, although I am not suggesting the Senator is asking me for one. We would be the worst negotiators in the history of the State if we were to give one. There are many millions of euro extra that the Government wants to spend in general practice that I have agreed with the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, and the Taoiseach. We would like to commence some of the additional expenditure this year and we would like to increase significantly the expenditure for 2019, 2020 and 2021. The Senator knows the issues that need to be examined are manifold. I know that from the perspective of those in general practice, it involves the issue of FEMPI. I heard that very loudly and clearly at the IMO conference. I heard it from the National Association of General Practitioners also. The engagement is under way very actively.

With regard to the timeframe, I do not wish to state one publicly because that weakens the hand of those in the room acting on behalf of the State but we are very eager to make progress very quickly. Rather than having the long processes of the past that were not backed up with resources — I concede this was a cause of frustration for GPs — I believe having a period of really intensive engagement on both sides could yield the result that would be to the satisfaction of patients and doctors.

I believe the rest of the questions were for the HSE.