Mr. Paul Reid:

With regard to our work with general practice, we hugely value the work GPs do. They are a core part of what we mean by enhanced community care. Where we have GPs in primary care centres, there are very different models and there is very different footfall going to them and they are much more successful. I am not familiar with the Ballyboden case, but we will get the Deputy a note on it.

Generally on GPs, we have worked closely with the Irish College of General Practitioners. We are looking at the pipeline of training coming through. Concerning the investment in general practice, particularly through Covid-19, the latest 2019 agreement provided for an investment of approximately €210 million in general practice. We are concerned, as the Deputy said, about the pipeline and what is coming through. We are beginning to see some positive indications of the pipeline.

Approximately 120 GPs were coming through training ten years ago. Some 259 completed the training last year. Approximately 875 doctors are currently in the three-year training programme.