Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I bring to the Taoiseach's attention a matter I raised before regarding operation of the GP service, or how it cannot operate in many cases. On Sunday night last, in the great town of Milltown, we had a public meeting that was attended by 360 people. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the crisis facing them because it is not sustainable for a GP to provide a service in Milltown. It is a great and fast-growing town in the heart of Kerry and its plight is reflected in places elsewhere, not just in Kerry but across the country. GPs are genuinely finding it hard to continue to provide services With the costs involved in running a service, they are finding it genuinely financially difficult to set up a new general practitioner service, which we all know is so important for older, middle-aged or younger people in our population. Will the Taoiseach tell us what steps the Government will take to create a better environment for GPs to operate in rural areas in particular?

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