Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government is working to ensure general practice is sustainable in all areas in the future. The Senator mentioned that we are 4.5 years into the term of the Government, which we are, but the number of doctors entering GP training has increased by 80% in the past five years, which has to be acknowledged. This year, 347 new entrants commenced GP training, a 21% increase on last year’s intake, so we have certainly turned a corner. As a result of this significant increase in GP training places, the Department of Health has estimated that between 1.5 and three new GPs will enter practice for every expected GP retirement in the coming years. One of the issues is that not all GPs want to take on a practice and instead want to work in a practice, and the review will look at that specific issue. I again thank the Senator for raising this important question.