Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State mentioned the extension of GP visit cards to more than 50% of the population. Approximately 500,000 more people will be eligible for GP visit cards. This is fantastic and it is going to mean that those who most need GP care or assistance will have access to it. It goes a long way to addressing what has been a huge issue within our health service for a long time, namely, affordability. This is reformative and it has to be welcomed on all fronts.

There is always a "but" and this measure will compound the issue I have just outlined to the Minister of State. That is the pressure that rural GPs in particular are under because of the difficulty they have in getting locum cover. It is an exercise in itself for a GP to try to get cover, whether it is through locum services or ringing around to friends or retired doctors. It is a huge effort and it is not really fair. We welcome this measure of the 500,000 extra people getting access to GP visit cards but we need to put measures in place now to bolster these services. GPs in rural areas have been warning of this scenario for a long time. They have been warning many of us that this was going to happen. It is happening and they are under pressure. My message to the Minister of State to bring back to the Minister for Health - and I will bring it to his attention as well - is that measures need to be put in place straight away to ensure the supports are there for GPs, GP practices and practice nurses.

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