John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to increase the number of general practitioners; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28908/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Service Executive's primary care re-imbursement service — formerly the General Medical Services Payments Board — annual report for 2004 indicates there were 2,210 general practitioners providing services in the general medical service and other community based schemes in that year, up from 2,181 for the previous year.

On the issue of future manpower requirements for general practitioners, my Department has met with the Irish College of General Practitioners, ICGP, and accepted in principle its recommendation to increase the number of trainee places on GP vocational training schemes from 84 to 150 on a phased basis, providing 22 additional places each year over three years. Accordingly, funding was provided to the Health Service Executive in 2005 to enable an additional 22 GP trainees to be taken on in the 2005-06 academic year. I understand that the ICGP is in the process of making further proposals in this area and my Department will, in conjunction with the HSE, consider these when they are received.