Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Senator's concerns but I respectfully suggest that they were addressed in the 2012 Act. The operation of that Act is beginning to bear fruit. Everything is related but the right of access into the system of newly trained GPs was addressed in the 2012 Act and this section is perhaps not the vehicle to address that issue. If the Senator was concerned the 2012 Act had not gone far enough or that undue restrictions remained on entry into the profession, or that the 2012 Act might benefit from further review in future, that would be the context in which to do that.

The duty imposed on the HSE by the Oireachtas in section 58 of the Health Act 1970 is to make available without charge a general practitioner, medical and surgical service. The duty imposed on the HSE by the Oireachtas is to provide a GP service, not a specific GP. We discussed legacy issues yesterday and people might be concerned but there is no question of disrespect being shown to the Houses of the Oireachtas here and that we are attempting through the use of phraseology such as "insofar as it is considered practicable" to give wriggle room to the HSE not to carry out its duties. That is not the case. If I thought it was a way to facilitate backsliding on statutory responsibilities, I would have a serious problem and would not present this legislation to the House.

We are addressing the Senator's concerns. We are all concerned about this as public representatives. We have addressed the issue of access to professionals in the 2012 Act, which is the correct vehicle for dealing with that issue and this does not represent any change or reneging on that commitment.