Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the response. This is where my frustration and that of the practitioners comes from, as well as, most importantly, the concern of the multitude of different communities and mostly vulnerable communities that avail of that service. Without question we all accept the substantive work that GP Care For All does. We are all in absolutely no doubt but that the service is and can be transformative. I also have had meetings with GP Care For All and with the HSE. Many people have been taken aback by the breadth of work, the fluidity of the practitioners, the manner in which salaried GPs are there and contributing massively. Then there is the risk that it is going to close. While I appreciate the HSE understands its importance and through the Minister of State's own engagement she clearly understands its importance, we can also appreciate that if this issue does not change then that service will close. I do not submit Topical Issue matters that are flimsy. This is something we do because we have an expectation of urgency. I really need someone from the Department of Finance to tell me - in addition to all these discussions - what we are going to do. This is a House where laws are changed, laws are enhanced and where things are made better.

We have a service that works and there is an acknowledgement from the HSE and the healthcare system that this works. Yet we have ongoing discussions. There was an amendment, which I badly explained in my last presentation, and the GP business practices had something similar in terms of their tax implications, which is a simple amendment to the Finance Bill to change it. My colleague, Deputy Róisín Shortall, who is infinitely more knowledgeable in the area of health than I or many other people will ever be, has made the exact same suggestion. We need an amendment to the Finance Bill that alters the tax arrangements for the salaried GPs in the GP Care For All service so we can keep it and have it thrive and be replicated the length and breadth of the country, because it works.

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