Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

We all agree that primary care teams are good. What is at issue is how to achieve them. Perhaps the Minister would drop her ideology for a minute in dealing with this matter. The Minister said it was stated in the budget that the private sector would provide premises and so on. That is not working. I know it is not working. I know of general practitioners who are receiving letters from auctioneers asking if they would like to locate in particular primary care centres.

Last week, the Joint Committee on Health and Children visited an excellent primary care centre in Mitchelstown, County Cork led by general practitioners from Mitchelstown. It provides a number of services and works in co-operation with hospitals in the north Cork area and in Cork city. It is really good. A point made to me during that visit is that this service should be professional rather than developer led and it should be a not for profit service.

I am asking the Minister to ensure a model is set up that works, involves the professionals who deliver health care and works for patients.

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