Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. I am speaking on a promise I made to the people of north Kerry that, when I became a voice for them in the Seanad, I would do what I could to reinstate out-of-hours SouthDoc services in Listowel. SouthDoc is an out-of-hours GP service operating across Kerry and Cork, providing urgent medical care when a person's regular GP is unavailable. It is designed for situations that require prompt attention but are not life threatening. This issue affects the everyday lives, well-being and safety of the people of north Kerry. An out-of-hours SouthDoc service needs to be reinstated in Listowel as soon as possible. As it stands, there is no out-of-hours GP service in Listowel or anywhere else in north Kerry. Residents in this large rural region from Astee to Abbeydorney - I will give the Minister of State a geography lesson - Ballylongford to Ballyduff, Ballybunion to Ballyheige, Moyvane to Kilflynn, Tarbert to Lixnaw, Duagh to Causeway, Lyracrumpane to Finuge and into Listowel town - that is the area - require this emergency service to be reinstated. This large area has a growing population, as many do, an elderly population and a large sporting population, so the need outscores any claim against it.

Right now, these people must travel to Tralee after hours to access urgent care. For many, that is a 40 km to 50 km journey one way. In a medical emergency at night with young children or for elderly and vulnerable patients, that is not safe, fair or sustainable. I mentioned Astee. If there is a game there today before 8 p.m. and there is a casualty and stitches are required for a young person, by the time they get to Tralee and back, the cut would probably have closed up itself. It is not fair.

Listowel is significant regional town. We are fortunate to have a new, modern primary care centre that provides an excellent range of wrap-around services - GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, mental health support and more - but we do not have an out-of-hours GP service. That is the missing piece in a system that should be built to serve people where they live, not force them to travel long distances in distress.

What message does that send to the people of north Kerry? That their health is less important? That their distance makes them second-class citizens? That is how many in our community feel. Parents tell me they are terrified when their children get sick in the middle of the night. Elderly residents are delaying getting help and local emergency departments are already under pressure because there is no nearby alternative for a basic out-of-hours service. This is not just a convenience issue, it is a public health issue that is only getting worse.

We are not asking for something extraordinary. We are asking of the same level of access to care that other towns of a similar size and population have. If the infrastructure is available and in Listowel, then an out-of-hours service must follow. In the Minister of State's own area of west Cork, he is well aware of the SouthDoc service in Clonakilty into Bantry and Skibbereen and even over to Macroom. We need this service, which his own area has.

I call urgently on the Minister for Health, the HSE and the management of SouthDoc to do the right thing and re-establish an out-of-hours SouthDoc space in Listowel, give the people of north Kerry what they deserve - safe, timely and local medical care no matter the hour. Healthcare access should not depend on your postcode. We need action now before this gap in service leads to even greater harm.