Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is a very extensive process because of the generalist nature of the work of GPs, which has changed dramatically in recent years. Things such as the minor surgery piece and the chronic care cycles will be rolled out into primary care and GP services. It is an incredibly wide brief. On the other hand, we do not have control of all of this process. The negotiations between the Department and the Irish Medical Organisation are just one aspect of it. As we know from the work that was done on the contracts for those under the age of six and those over the age of 70, these matters have to be referred to the GPs and the medical community within primary care. We have no control over that. It is hoped that we will get it done as quickly as possible. Much of the preliminary stuff was done during the negotiations on the contracts for the provision of GP services to those under the age of six and over the age of 70. A great deal of the talking was done at that time, even if no agreement was reached. The needs were very clearly laid out. We hope the negotiations will be concluded as quickly as possible. We will not have control of the process after that point, however. That makes it very difficult to say when this process will be concluded. There may be elements of it with which the GP community does not agree. In such circumstances, we will have to come back into negotiations again. We will do what we can as quickly as we can. There will be no delay.