Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Under the scheme a doctor is paid the allowance where his or her practice is in an area three miles from a town or village which has more than 1,500 people. A local medical service is absolutely vital to older people living in relatively isolated areas with limited or no rural transport. Furthermore, access to primary care locally helps reduce the number of people who present themselves. I raised this issue previously when I informed the House that the Health Service Executive, HSE, was revising the terms of the statutory scheme by stealth.