David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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I wish to ask the IMO a question because we have very limited time and, unfortunately, we cannot get to everybody for responses. On additional capacity, obviously there is a commitment from the political system to deliver universal GP care. We have a system that is under fierce pressure and we need additional capacity just to stand still. I know that there is a plan to increase training capacity. I support the calls for additional supports and flexibility in respect of staffing subsidies and establishing practices.

I have a question for Mr. Moran on the working group that has been proposed on GP practice. For nursing, for example, we have a safe staffing and skill-mix framework. We need something similar for GP practice that would look at the science and tell us how many GPs we need, how we are going to train them and then it is up to the political system to deliver on same. If that work was done and we had a commitment to do that, as well as looking at the flexibilities in how we better support the young GPs coming in and establishing practices, and the other issues that have been raised, and as a quid pro quothen from the political system to GPs, could GPs in a realistic timeframe of, say, over five or seven years, deliver universal GP access?