Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I am taking this Adjournment debate on behalf of my colleagues the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, and Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Shortall, which addresses the provision of general practitioner services in Mullagh, County Cavan.

The delivery of a sustainable GP service that effectively meets the health needs of the population in a primary care setting is paramount. The HSE's primary, community and continuing care service in Cavan, which has responsibility for the provision of general practitioner services in the county, continues to make every effort to protect and maintain front line services.

The HSE has a contract in place with a GP in the north east who practices from two centres, one in Mullagh, the other in Bailieborough. Under the terms of his existing contract, this GP is obliged to do two sessions per week in Mullagh. However, in February 2011, the GP informed the HSE there was not a sufficient demand for the service in Mullagh and that he was discontinuing his sessions there. He has not practised in Mullagh since February 2011.

When the HSE contacted the GP in question this week, it was confirmed the GP had not received any complaints from patients about the cessation of the sessions in Mullagh since the service was discontinued. The HSE primary care unit in the north east has also confirmed it has not received any complaints regarding the lack of GP sessions in Mullagh.

The HSE has written to the GP in question requesting him to consider recommencing the two sessions per week in Mullagh, as agreed in his contract. The HSE will also consider the option of encouraging a new GP to set up in Mullagh through the new open entry arrangement being introduced in the Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011, once the relevant legislation is passed in the coming weeks.

The Minister for Health will present this Bill to the House tomorrow. It provides for the elimination of restrictions on GPs wishing to obtain contracts to treat public patients under the general medical services, GMS, scheme by opening up access to GMS contracts to all fully-qualified and vocationally-trained GPs. There will be no limits on the number of contractors. When this Bill is enacted, new GMS contract holders will be free to establish their practice in the location of their choice.

While this may not be an adequate answer, I accept the points made by Senators Wilson and Reilly that the population of the town has increased by 45% in the past ten years and that a contract has been effectively broken. Neither is it good enough for the HSE to ask the GP to consider recommencing his service. I will bring these points to the Minister for Health and the Minister of State and make clear the Senator's dissatisfaction with the present state of affairs with GP services in Mullagh.