Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I do not have a response in respect of primary care centres at the moment but I know the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, was in counties Sligo and Donegal last Friday to open three primary care centres. Nine primary care centres were announced in December last year. We have been building primary care centres for the past five or six years and rolling out eight or nine of them each year. I was delighted to announce one for Lismore in County Waterford a couple of weeks ago. I will check the latest details in respect of the proposed primary care centre in Blarney.

The HSE has undertaken a recruitment campaign for the GMS vacancy in Blarney and a GP has been identified through the process and is anticipated to take up the position of the GMS GP for the panel on 1 July. The HSE has issued correspondence to the affected main cardholders of the GMS panel. They were informed on Thursday, 13 April. They will have the opportunity to change after 1 July. The HSE is aware of the expected GP retirement at St. Mary's primary care centre and is taking steps to ensure the provision of GP services for affected cardholders until a replacement GP is in place. It is attempting to get a GP but we all know there are a lot of difficulties in that respect at the moment. The Deputy referred to Dr. Gibson and Dr. O'Halloran, who have probably served the area for many years. People are always upset when their GP leaves. The HSE is doing everything it can to provide alternative cover in the short term. Nowadays, many doctors do not want to take over a full practice whereas they might work in a practice that has several doctors.

I will raise the Deputy's concerns with the HSE tomorrow.

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