Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This issue is one that I will deliver on. The Government will deliver on it and make a better health service in north Wicklow. Those are facts. If the Deputy wants to know where the money is, some €25 million is ring-fenced in a development fund for primary care in 2018. The funding for the delivery of a north Wicklow and south Dublin out of hours GP service will come from that primary care fund. This is already spelled out in the HSE service plan; I think it is on page 28. As I have said, it is in black and white in the HSE service plan. The funds are being held in my Department to ensure the delivery of the service. I would have liked to see the service delivered last year, and so would the GPs. The HSE hoped to put it in place but was not possible. It will be delivered this year. There will be consultation with the GPs which will happen in the coming days but then there will have to be a procurement process which I expect to happen this month.

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