Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is my contention that there is not a primary care centre in the State that is fully staffed with a multidisciplinary team in operation. I do not believe there is one offering a full range of services. It is a little bit disingenuous that time after time, when we question the Minister for Health or the Taoiseach about long waiting lists or overcrowding in accident and emergency departments, we are told that people should not go to accident and emergency departments if they do not need to. However, it is the only door that is open to them. We are not identifying where the staff are needed, by virtue of the population and its needs, and trying to shore up some of that deficit now. In north County Dublin, children wait 33 months for early intervention. We could just stop calling it that because it is insulting to wait 33 months for early intervention. Therapies such as occupational therapy and speech and language therapy can and should be provided within a primary care centre but they are not being provided at present. I do not hear anything from the Minister to give comfort to the parents that are waiting at the moment. What we really need to know is when the HSE will start to provide the staff. How will the staff be put in place if the gaps have not been identified?

The appointment of directly employed GPs must be ramped up because the GP is the heart of the primary care centre and if GPs are not coming in on the basis of the small-business model, their appointment must be accentuated directly by the HSE.

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