Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

Taking the last question first, we have increased the number of training posts by, I believe, approximately 17 this year. The college was not able to deal with anymore. I hope we can increase that further next year and provision is being made to do so. A number of general practitioners are prohibited under an industrial relations agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation to practice as general practitioners under the GMS scheme and that is a matter I am examining.

The primary care strategy is being rolled out differently from the ten pilot projects because it would take an enormous amount of time and money to do so on that type of basis. In regard to the manner in which it was rolled out last year, 1,000 GPs applied and 75 to 100 will be supported. We hope to do the same next year and by 2008, we hope to have rolled it out to approximately 300 further GP practices. It will be done on the basis of the initiative funded in 2006.

See this speech in context