Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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I am a first-time Government TD for Fianna Fáil. I am a GP by profession from the rural area of Ballygar in County Galway. I have been involved in medical politics for 25 or 30 years. I was president of the Irish Medical Organisation for four years. I have been on negotiating teams for every GP contract negotiation since 1998. I am also involved in the joint faculty of sports and exercise medicine with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. I have served on the board on two occasions and have been treasurer twice.

My interests lie with help for those living in rural areas and mental health. I know you have indicated that we will have a job of work to do dealing with amendments to the Mental Health Bill. It will be very important to tease that through here. I agree with Deputy Colm Burke that the digitalisation of our health service is vital. Ireland is seen as an international hub for IT and yet our hospital system is lagging behind. It is less of a problem in our community system. Our general practitioner services have been 98% computerised and paperless since the introduction of the chronic disease management system in 2019. It was negotiated and brought in during the Covid pandemic and has been very successful. It is contingent on GP practices being computerised and there is a 98% uptake there. At the moment when GPs send in referral letters to hospitals, they are printed off in hard copy and someone is running around the hospital delivering them to people.

Equitable access to health services based on need and not on the ability to pay should be the absolute bedrock of any health service in Ireland. I do not want to hog time here but I am delighted to be part of the health committee and I congratulate you on your appointment as Chair. Like my next-door neighbour here, Deputy Roche, I am a team player and I would be happy to work with anyone to progress matters at this committee.