Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

People allocated a medical card are allocated a GP. That is the basic position. Now, there is an issue with access to GPs more generally. That is acknowledged. Part of the response has been to significantly increase the number of people in training in general practice. There are different figures in this regard, but my understanding is that for every one retired doctor, there are at least two in training. We must keep this focus and get more people into training because undoubtedly there are real challenges, particularly in rural Ireland, but also in urban Ireland, as was pointed out by some Deputies yesterday. I accept there are issues with access to GPs.

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