Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

In a developed primary care system, up to 95% of people's day-to-day health and social care needs can be met in the primary care setting. I recently visited the soon-to-be opened primary care facility for Palmerstown and Ballyfermot. It is a fantastic facility that will change for the better the entire manner in which health care is delivered in the community. The ambition of the Minister, Deputy Reilly, is to have primary care as a linchpin for health services, including mental health services, for the young, the old, the dependent, the able and those with learning disabilities, that is, for all citizens of the State. This ambition must be supported and admired.

A key objective of the primary care strategy is to develop services in the community which would give people direct access to integrated multidisciplinary teams of general practitioners, social care workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and so on. Moreover, additional services, including speech and language therapy, may be provided on a sessional basis. This commitment will be achieved on a phased basis to allow for the recruitment of additional doctors, nurses and other primary care professionals. Initially, free GP cover will be extended to persons in receipt of drugs and medicines under the long-term illness scheme. Primary legislation is required to give effect to this commitment and it is expected that the new arrangements will be in place by this summer. A project team of officials from the Department and from the Health Service Executive has been established to oversee the implementation of the universal primary care strategy and I understand this project team met for the first time on 24 January. I commend the primary care concept and the new facilities, including the aforementioned facility that is coming on-stream and which will cater for Palmerstown and Ballyfermot.

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