Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On Deputy Munster's query, there are ongoing delays at the Passport Office that we are all familiar when it comes to the processing of passports. The Department of Foreign Affairs is taking on additional staff, although there are some issues with people working from home, which is making a little bit more difficult. However, additional staff are being taken on to speed the process up.

We encourage people to use the online service where they can. It seems to be working more quickly than the passport express service. There is a particular issue around new applications for children and babies, and I understand they cannot be expedited for various reasons. That is acknowledged.

On Deputy Cronin's question, there are parts of the country where people are struggling to find a GP because of retirements and other issues. The Government response is twofold. First, we are training more GPs than we have ever done before and second, we are allowing work permits and visas for GPs from other parts of the world who want to work and practice here. We are also giving consideration to introducing salaried GPs. That has not been done yet but it is under consideration. It could perhaps be done in more rural and remote parts of the country where someone would receive a salaried position from the HSE rather than being a sole trader, which is the current model. That model works very well in most of the country but does not always work well everywhere.

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