David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A bit like the Supplementary Estimate, we will see at the end of the year who was right when it comes to the pressures this will put on the system. In my view, there is no doubt there will be posts in many of these areas where people will not be able to be replaced. There will be people who will want to come and work in the public system or get additional hours who will not be able to do so because of the limitations on recruitment in 2024. I will stand corrected if it is the opposite, but I doubt very much that it will be.

There are several other matters I want to discuss. I will come in during a second round of questioning later. I know committee members are being given a little bit of latitude because there are only two of us here.

I want to ask about the GP visit cards.

It is something I supported for all the right reasons. There is disappointment that the uptake has been so low. We need to understand why this is the case. There certainly does need to be more communication. In his opening statement the Minister said that free GP care was extended to half a million people in 2023. It is funny to re-read this. It was made available but as of yet it is not extended because they do not have the cards. The Minister also said that it increases the number of medical card holders to more than 1.6 million people. It does not yet because they do not hold them. We need to get to a point of funding it and then people getting them. What analysis have the Department and the HSE done around what is the percentage of take-up? Is there any sense as to why the take up is as small as was publicly stated? Maybe that figure is wrong. Maybe it is less than 5%, I do not know. Give us the figures first but it is certainly nowhere near where we want it to be. Is there any analysis as to why that is the case?