David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. I do not doubt his sincerity for one second or the wisdom of what he has said about taking a phased approach to ensure we have the necessary capacity. However, people listening will be concerned when they hear phrases like "phasing in", "consultation" and "engagement". They will fear that this will take an awfully long time to happen. In his last remarks the Minister referred to the extraordinary job GPs have done in recent months at the front line of Covid-19. I have spoken to many of them. They have undergone sleepless nights, long shifts and huge stresses brought about by all the changes to the testing regime. GPs are under huge pressure. In light of the coming winter surge, the need to roll out flu vaccination, Covid-19 and all of the existing demands on GPs, are we seriously saying this will be done any time soon?

Deputy Donnelly is a new Minister, so some of this is the responsibility of the previous Government. A previous speaker asked if we were putting the cart before the horse. We want this done as quickly as possible. I pointed out the fact that the Minister made these points when he was in Opposition. The Government is introducing this legislation, making promises and talking about delivery when we all know that the infrastructure simply is not there. GPs are overstretched and overworked and we do not have enough of them, but the Government is saying it will increase their workload but not their capacity. Generous words butter no parsnips for those GPs. This will not solve their problems. I wish the Minister well in his discussions with the IMO but I imagine those discussions will centre on the need for capacity and how the Minister will deliver it. The Minister tells us about plans, timeframes and ambitions. One can have all the vision in the world, but unless we put the actual capacity in place, this is not going to happen any time soon. That is the problem.

We will have more statements on health tomorrow, as the Minister knows. I may follow up on this issue in that session. I am concerned. We are being asked to pass this Bill in good faith. It has been brought forward because a promise was made, but it cannot just be a promise. This must mean something for the people who will be affected. I spoke about the 300,000 children and the tens of thousands of people over 70 who we hoped would be affected by this. We are now told that there is a new process to determine timeframes for delivery, but the Government has not added the necessary capacity to primary and GP care to make it happen. We are told that there will be a phased approach. I imagine people are saying to themselves that this is more fudge. They will not believe that this will happen any time soon, and it is hard to disagree with that. It is disappointing, given that this was the first Bill the Minister has brought forward. I do not blame the Minister because he has only been in the job for a couple of weeks. The responsibility must be put on the previous Government, which did not put the infrastructure in place before the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure that when we pass this Bill, we will have the capacity to deliver it.

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