Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. I thank the Deputy for his question about primary care provision for Rathdowney and Mountrath. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. He raised a couple of matters: plans for succession in GP practices, challenges in rural Laois and the primary care centres in Mountrath and Rathdowney. I will do my best to address all of those issues.

As the Deputy will be aware, timely access to GP and primary care services is vital for the successful delivery of our healthcare service. They are our first port of call.

In regard to general practice, as he will also be aware, GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold contracts with the HSE for the provision of public health services. Currently, almost 3,200 GPs hold at least one HSE contract, including roughly 2,600 GPs who hold a general medical services, GMS, contract for the provision of care.

As private practitioners, GPs themselves determine the location they practice from, which can be difficult. However, in addition to undertaking to increase the overall number of GPs practising in the State, the Government is committed to ensuring that services are available throughout the country on an equitable basis, and in particular to supporting GP practices in rural and underserved areas.

Significantly increased investment in general practice has been provided for under the 2019 and 2023 GP agreements. The agreements provide, among other things, for increased GP fees and practice supports, including a 10% increase to rural practice supports and increases to supports for staff capacity. We are conscious of the challenges in rural areas.

The number of new entrant GP training places has been increased by 80% from 2019 to 2024, with 350 new entrant places available since last year. I accept they take time to come through the system, but there is a huge improvement. Furthermore, recruitment of GPs from abroad continues under the international medical graduates, IMG, programme, whose placement is targeted to underserved areas.

Just recently, a new locum support initiative commenced, providing GPs in receipt of rural practice supports with access to a streamlined locum recruitment service. The initiative is initially focusing on supporting the more than 130 single-handed GPs working in isolated areas. That has just commenced.

At present there are no GMS GP vacancies in County Laois. Where a vacancy arises, the HSE actively recruits for a replacement GP while providing for the continuity of services.

Regarding the provision of primary care services, we are making steady progress on the development of primary care infrastructure in County Laois, which is currently served by primary care centres, PCCs, in Mountmellick and Portarlington with two further PCCs under development in Portlaoise and Rathdowney. I know the Deputy is particularly concerned with service provision in Mountrath and Rathdowney and I am happy to advise the following in their regard. It is intended that the PCC in Rathdowney will be delivered via the operational lease mechanism. In 2024, the HSE sought expressions of interest for this development and several valid tender submissions were received. The HSE is currently working through the tender assessments and internal approvals processes. Once this process is complete and all approvals are received, the successful tenderer will be notified which will allow for progression through the design and planning stages in 2025.

The HSE Capital Plan 2025 includes funding to progress designs for the provision of primary care services in Mountrath. The HSE has advised that the current plans for Mountrath include the redevelopment of the existing Mountrath Health Centre site, including an extension and refurbishment of the existing building. This follows a reassessment of service needs, which indicated that the existing HSE-owned site could accommodate the service needs of the area. I expect the extension will be delivered much quicker than a primary care centre.

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