Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The bona fides of the Chairman in regard to healthcare are beyond question. I hear his frustration and know that it is genuine. As I stated, some of the timelines in the Sláintecare report were unworkable. It would be incorrect to contend otherwise. Although I do not wish to end on a sour note, I must point out that the report was produced in May and suggested that an executive director would be appointed by July. That is not how the world works in terms of recruiting highly skilled professionals such as Laura Magahy. One cannot hire such a person within two months. The report suggests that we should extend access to free GP care to 500,000 persons per year. While I do not speak for either of the GPs in the room, I have yet to meet a GP in my constituency or in my role as Minister for Health who believes that that would be sustainable, rather than resulting in very lengthy general practice waiting lists. Although I fully subscribe to the agenda and endpoint of Sláintecare, a relatively substantial amount of work remained to ensure its correct sequencing such that waiting lists in primary care settings are not created. If we accept that general practice is one of the best functioning parts of the health service-----