Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)

I want to speak today on a matter of importance for the people of north Kerry, namely, the urgent need for the reinstatement of an out-of-hours SouthDoc service in Listowel. As it stands, there is no SouthDoc out-of-hours service operating in north Kerry.This means that for medical attention after regular hours, people in north Kerry and the surrounding areas, from Ballylongford to Duagh, from Tarbert to Lixnaw, from Asdee to Abbeydorney, from Ballyduff to Moyvane, from Finuge to Ballybunion, from Ballyheigue to Causeway and from Kilflynn and Knockanure, must travel all the way to Tralee, which, for some, means a round trip of 80 km. For vulnerable, elderly and sick patients, that is simply not acceptable.

We are not asking for a luxury; we are asking for a basic essential healthcare service to be accessible to the people of north Kerry, the same service that is rightly available in comparable towns around the country. Healthcare should not be a postcode lottery. The absence of a local out-of-hours GP service is putting real strain on families. Parents with sick children are forced to bundle them into cars late at night for long drives. Older people are either delaying care or relying on already overstretched emergency services. Our front-line workers - the paramedics and the doctors and nurses in Tralee - are under increased pressure because of a problem that has a practical achievable solution.

The population of north Kerry is growing. Listowel and other parts of north Kerry have a proud history and a strong community spirit. However, that spirit is being tested by this continued lack of a serious service. Residents are feeling forgotten and, frankly, they have a right to feel that way. Today, I am calling on the Minister for Health, the HSE and the SouthDoc management to act without delay. We need a fully operational out-of-hours GP service based in Listowel, one that meets the needs of our people and restores confidence in our health infrastructure. The health of the people in north Kerry should never have been compromised in the first place. I call on the Minister to come to the House to debate this matter.