Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of primary care and GP provision. Undoubtedly, in rural Ireland in particular and in some urban areas, over recent years there have been challenges accessing a GP and getting a GP. On the other hand, there have also been significant developments and growth, particularly in terms of the number of places at third level. That has increased very significantly over the last two to three years. The work done by the then Minister, Stephen Donnelly, with the Tánaiste when he was Minister for higher education resulted in additional places in our colleges. It will take some time for those places to come through. We also secured additional post-graduate education places more generally. That is important.

We have 179 primary care centres in the country now, which is very significant, and 50 new ones have opened since 2020. On chronic disease, 95% of GPs are now signed up to the chronic disease management programme; there were more than 645,000 patient reviews by GPs in 2024; and 92% of patients with chronic diseases are now fully managed routinely in primary care and not attending hospital for managing their condition.

The number of new entrant GP training places has increased significantly in recent years and is up 350 for 2024. College and training places continue to grow and an additional 662 student places have been provided in the higher education sector on health-related courses overall this year academic year, which includes nursing and midwifery.

The growth is there within the third level colleges but the quality and nature of the work of GPs is changing. That work on chronic disease is essential for outcomes and for the community enhanced care programme. A lot of GPs speak very highly of its impact. Overall, our figures as a country on life expectancy are improving because of the stronger role of primary and community based care and the management of chronic disease, along with public health measures and better quality of work within acute hospital services. Our life expectancy is above 82 years of age. Our mortality fell by 11% over the decade 2014 to 2022. The mortality rate for all circulatory system diseases fell by 20% in that period, with heart disease and stroke falling by 28% and 37%, respectively. There is another perspective to our health narrative which rarely gets articulated.

See this speech in context