Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join others in congratulating those candidates around the country who have been elected to our local authorities and the European Parliament. It takes great courage to put your name on a ballot paper. It is a very public interview. Not everyone can succeed. The fact that so many people are still interested in participating in our democracy is hugely important and necessary. I send congratulations to all of those who have succeeded and commiserations to those who did not. Many will get another turn in the future.

I have raised numerous times on the Order of Business and in Commencement matters issues with the extension of Westdoc services to my area of Moycullen, Rosscahill and Oughterard, where GPs were outside the Westdoc service. I am delighted that the Galway city cell of Westdoc has agreed to accept into the Westdoc service the GPs in Moycullen and Oughterard who provide a tremendous service in our area. This is great news not just for the GPs but for the public who will now get full Westdoc out-of-hours services in Moycullen, Rosscahill and Oughterard. We know the importance of eircodes in providing assistance to emergency services getting to rural houses and many urban areas that might be difficult to find as well. Eircodes have improved access to healthcare in many ways but the extension of Westdoc is to be greatly welcomed. Having the full Westdoc service now in our area of Moycullen, Rosscahill and Oughterard is great news and testament to the advocacy of many of the GPs there who have been fighting for inclusion in the Galway city cell of Westdoc. I would like to acknowledge that.