Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the representatives from the IMO and ICGP. I acknowledge the role played by GPs during the Covid-19 pandemic, although it is still sort of with us. They provided a service to patients and administered the vaccine and booster campaign.

There is always a view that there are issues with regard to rural versus urban cover of GPs. There was a campaign entitled No Doctor, No Village run over a number of years with the argument that rural areas are suffering. We also hear that in urban areas there are pressures from GPs not being able to take on more patients, see them or provide appointments for a number of days. What are the obstacles in front of a new graduate who wants to become established in an area of growing population and there is an evident need for additional GP services? What, effectively, are the obstacles to graduates coming out after being trained and who want to establish a practice?