Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Possibly because of the 75% FEMPI cuts which were introduced by Fianna Fáil during its time in government and which I am now reversing. The number of GPs holding GMS contracts has also risen, from more than 2,098 in 2008 to more than 2,500 this year.

If we are to make general practice more sustainable, we need to introduce more family-friendly measures.

8 o’clock

That is why this agreement will significantly increase the funding for maternity cover for female GPs and will also increase paternity cover for male GPs from three days, for which they are covered now, to 14 days. When the rural allowance, the urban deprivation fund and the restoration of fees, which will see funding to general practice increase by 40% during the lifetime of this agreement, are coupled with some of these family-friendly measures, I genuinely hope and expect, as do GP organisations, that we will begin to make this a more attractive career. The first point, though, was to try to stabilise general practice. Before we got into introducing a load of new services, it was important to recognise there was a challenge and that GPs had suffered huge cuts during difficult years. It was important to try to stabilise that situation, to use that opportunity to push and work with them on a modernisation and reform agenda in order that they are ready for the delivery of Sláintecare and to provide extra funding for new services. That is what we have achieved. It is a fair and balanced deal. Of course there is more to do, and we have more to clarify in terms of the work we need to do in Sláintecare on the eligibility framework, which is a big body of work we are undertaking this year. I would certainly welcome a longer debate in this House on this matter and indeed questions on the matter. I know the GPs are beginning a process of intense consultation, which took place in Dublin last night. This is a chance for them to discuss what this deals means to them.

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