Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The restriction on access to the GMS scheme was an agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation, representing general practitioners a long time ago. I have had many young doctors ask me why they cannot have access to the GMS scheme. I put a group together to examine this and it will report to me shortly. I see no justification for restricting access to GMS to any doctor.

I acknowledge that for supports such as practice nurses to succeed, critical mass is needed. France has 164 general practitioners for every 100,000 people. Last year I met a group of French general practitioners. Before Deputy Reilly gets a fright, I am not advocating their pay rates. However, I learned they earn €60,000 a year; they were amazed at how much our doctors earn. They get no practice supports whatever, do an incredible amount of work and greatly alleviate pressures on the acute hospital system. I am all for increasing the number of general practitioners. As we are doubling the number of medical students, I would hope we will be able to retain as many of them as graduates in medicine, particularly in general practice.

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