Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this important issue. What will the Department do to alleviate the pressure general practitioners, GPs, are under, but also to improve the delivery they are able to provide? In Limerick, which is my area, many people cannot get a GP appointment. They are waiting three or four days for an appointment. I recently met a person who had to wait two weeks for an appointment. In addition, many people cannot get on GP lists. GPs are under enormous pressure. The population is growing, especially in Limerick, and there are not enough doctors to facilitate people who want to get on a GP list.

On the other hand, University Hospital Limerick is in the newspapers every day in the context of overcrowding. Part of the reason for that overcrowding is that people are presenting at the hospital because they cannot get an appointment with their GP. I ask the Minister of State, on behalf of the Government, to lay out the resources that will be given to doctors to help to alleviate waiting lists.

People deserve to get good medical care. It is not the fault of doctors that their waiting lists are so long; it is just that there are not enough doctors. People become ill at different stages and they deserve to receive good care. I look forward to hearing the response of the Minister of State.