Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The number of general practitioners in active practice is 2,500. This equates to approximately 0.5 GPs per 1,000 of the population, a ratio that is low by comparison with other EU and OECD countries. I recognise there is a need to increase the number of GPs to take account of the projected growth in population, the aging of the population and the aging of the GP workforce.

The Government has taken several initiatives to address this. In February 2006, we announced that the number of medical school places for EU students would be more than doubled by 305 to 725. The quota of 305 had been in place since 1978 under successive Governments. The new graduate entry stream will provide an additional 240 places and increase the number of EU undergraduate places by 180.

A total of 170 extra medical school places have been provided between 2006 and 2007 for Irish and EU students in the existing undergraduate courses and the new graduate entry programme. A further 95 places will be made available in 2008, with the remaining 155 places coming on stream in the next two years. In 2004, it was agreed with the Irish College of General Practitioners, ICGP, that the number of GP vocational training places should be increased from 84 to 150 on a phased basis over three years. I am informed by the Health Service Executive that, to date, 36 of the additional 66 places have been provided, bringing the total number of training places annually to 120. The further increase to 150 places is being kept under review by the HSE in light of the current budgetary situation.

There are currently 12 GP vocational training programmes in the State and these programmes are accredited by the ICGP. Three hundred and seventy-six trainees are currently participating in these programmes and the HSE has advised that this number will increase to 449 in July 2008. The HSE has indicated that there have been capacity issues within these training programmes and that this is the principal reason that it has not been possible to increase the number of training places as quickly as had been hoped. The HSE continues to work with the ICGP with a view to addressing these issues.

A joint Department of Health and Children-HSE working group on workforce planning was established in June 2006. It includes representatives of the Departments of Finance and Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority. Research is currently being undertaken by FÁS on behalf of the joint working group. This research will analyse the labour market for 11 health care grades and professions, including GPs, and will help determine future GP training needs.

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