Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government refers to the need to build general practitioner capacity to respond to patients' needs and provide access to X-rays, ultrasound and other investigative services, in addition to the need for chronic disease management by those in general practice. The outpatient unit and accident and emergency unit in Clonmel are overrun. Will the Minister visit Clonmel with me? General practitioners have the capacity to provide many of the treatments or carry out many of the examinations I have mentioned. It would reduce attendance at accident and emergency departments by at least one third. That has been proven. It was proven in a pilot project over eight days. We have chaos in the hospitals. Why will the HSE not allow a service to be offered to the public that is positive and good and that would take the chronic pressure off the accident and emergency unit in Clonmel?

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