Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We received fantastic news last Thursday with the notice from the Minster for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, of an allocation of funding for out-of-hours GP services. I have raised this a number of times here in the Seanad on the Order of Business but also through Commencement matters. It was a crisis for our GP network. I am so grateful that the Department of Health and the Minister are looking, seeing and supporting GPs in our region.

It has been a long haul for those GPs. They have been working excess hours and it has been a long time since they have had any type of support. This support for out-of-hours services potentially could be for expansion of the Westdoc scheme into the east Galway area to the Ballinasloe and the south-east Galway side. It is important that we see this is an ongoing support and it will continue in future budgets. From what I understand, this is coming out of our main budget, which is fantastic news. It is absolutely vital support and it means that GPs in our rural areas will be supported into the future.