Dr. Diarmuid Quinlan:

I echo the Deputy's sentiments that we are in the midst of a GP workforce crisis. If we look at it in perspective, we went from 159 training places in 2015 to 258 this year, which is a very substantial increase, and it will be at 350 by 2026. It is a very substantial increase. It is a competitive market internationally for healthcare professionals. If we were to look at the allied healthcare professionals in general practice, which is our GP nurses, healthcare assistants, phlebotomists, and administration supports, that would liberate GP time in the short, medium and long term. That does represent a further weapon in our armoury to support general practice in delivering care for patients. A high level ICGP group, with all key stakeholder groups, engaged in looking at the work the future of general practice in deliver community care, would work through these problems relatively rapidly and come up with workable solutions.