James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I refer to page 54 of the programme for Government, in particular to the Government's intention to build general practitioner capacity to respond to the needs of patients. There is a shortage of GPs throughout the country. Some 600 are soon to retire, and a recent survey of GPs by the Sunday Business Postfound that 64% were no longer taking new patients. Young families and older people are finding it increasingly difficult to get access to GP services and are falling back on on-call services. These too are being capped. In turn, families and other people are having to go to accident and emergency departments for basic services.

The Ballagh, near Enniscorthy, County Wexford, is one area facing the prospect of no longer having a GP. Similar villages across the country are facing the same issue. When is the Government going to address the shortage of GPs in this country?

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