James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 12: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her estimation of the number of general practitioners needed in the next ten and 20 years; her views on whether under current education and training arrangements there could be a serious shortage of GPs in the very near future; the action she will take to address this impending shortage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16777/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The number of general practitioners in active practice is 2,500. This equates to approximately 0.5 GPs per 1,000 of the population, a ratio that is low by comparison with other EU and OECD countries. I recognise there is a need to increase the number of GPs to take account of the projected growth in population, the aging of the population and the aging of the GP workforce.

The Government has taken several initiatives to address this. In February 2006, we announced that the number of medical school places for EU students would be more than doubled by 305 to 725. The quota of 305 had been in place since 1978 under successive Governments. The new graduate entry stream will provide an additional 240 places and increase the number of EU undergraduate places by 180.

A total of 170 extra medical school places have been provided between 2006 and 2007 for Irish and EU students in the existing undergraduate courses and the new graduate entry programme. A further 95 places will be made available in 2008, with the remaining 155 places coming on stream in the next two years. In 2004, it was agreed with the Irish College of General Practitioners, ICGP, that the number of GP vocational training places should be increased from 84 to 150 on a phased basis over three years. I am informed by the Health Service Executive that, to date, 36 of the additional 66 places have been provided, bringing the total number of training places annually to 120. The further increase to 150 places is being kept under review by the HSE in light of the current budgetary situation.

There are currently 12 GP vocational training programmes in the State and these programmes are accredited by the ICGP. Three hundred and seventy-six trainees are currently participating in these programmes and the HSE has advised that this number will increase to 449 in July 2008. The HSE has indicated that there have been capacity issues within these training programmes and that this is the principal reason that it has not been possible to increase the number of training places as quickly as had been hoped. The HSE continues to work with the ICGP with a view to addressing these issues.

A joint Department of Health and Children-HSE working group on workforce planning was established in June 2006. It includes representatives of the Departments of Finance and Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority. Research is currently being undertaken by FÁS on behalf of the joint working group. This research will analyse the labour market for 11 health care grades and professions, including GPs, and will help determine future GP training needs.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Minister referred to 0.5 GPs per 1,000 persons. We have 52 GPs per 100,000 while France has 164 and Austria 144. To put this in context, throughout the country GPs are closing lists, with 35% of GPs in the north east closing lists because they are overworked and cannot take any more patients. This has been coming down the line for some time. In her reply, the Minister alluded to the fact that 150 GP training places were supposed to be made available. This year, the funding for the final 30 places was supposed to have been provided but because of budgetary constraints, this will not happen. I remind the Government that we have a manpower crisis. It is not coming down the line, it is here now. Within the next 12 years, 50% of the general practitioner population in the country will retire and we are already in trouble before we go there.

Two out of three young doctors cannot access GP training. The problem is not that we do not have enough qualified doctors who want to be GPs. We have plenty but they cannot access training positions. This is why it is so important that the Minister accedes to requests for the funding for the 30 additional places. I spoke to the college and even if we want to stand still, we need an average of 200 GP training places a year. However, given that we will lose 50% of them during the coming years, we need 300 places for the next four or five years.

Will the Minister re-examine the situation and fund these critical jobs? Will she also examine another method of training qualified and experienced doctors to be general practitioners? They have completed much of their training but they cannot get on to a training scheme or access their MICGP exam. What hope does Professor Brendan Drumm have for his great new vision of the future in which we do not need more beds and we have primary care facilities provided by general practitioners if we do not have GPs to deliver services today let alone tomorrow?

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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A number of years ago we were told we had a shortage of nurses and we greatly increased the numbers. Now we are told in another report that we have too many. I hope we can get it right with regard to doctors. We will double the number of Irish and EU medical students, either as postgraduate or undergraduate entrants. This was the first important thing to do and it was not without considerable resource implications. The number of general practitioner training places will also be increased. I accept we did not achieve 150 this year.

Deputy Reilly made a valid point with regard to people who cannot get on to the programme but have considerable experience and I would like to explore this with the college. I would certainly be open to this. As Deputy Reilly knows, we have 6,000 non-consultant hospital doctors and 2,000 consultants and it should be the other way around. People in a hospital environment may be suitable for general practice if they can access appropriate training.

I have met general practitioners who cannot access a GMS list because of a previous industrial relations agreement. This also needs to be examined so any doctor qualified here as a general practitioner can take on GMS patients. In some areas, this has been challenged.