Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of primary care centres. As the Tánaiste knows, people are presenting at hospital emergency departments because they cannot get access to a GP or primary care services. The population of towns like Portlaoise has increased, and there is no primary care centre in the town despite the population is heading towards 30,000. There is also a shortage of GPs. The Tánaiste will be aware of this from his background in the medical profession. People are piling into hospital emergency departments and this is adding to the problems of these units, which are regularly raised in the Chamber. When will the capital programme on primary care centres be published, will Portlaoise be included in it and what is the position regarding funding?

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