Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 79: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of general practitioners who have expressed an interest in the primary care teams; the number of teams she expects to be established in the next year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15500/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The primary care strategy is the roadmap for the future development of primary care services in Ireland over a period of some ten years, both as the appropriate service for the delivery of the majority of people's health and social care needs and to complement the services provided by acute hospitals. At the heart of the strategy is the aim of developing services in the community to give people direct access to integrated multidisciplinary teams of general practitioners, nurses, health care assistants, home helps, occupational therapists and others.

The Health Service Executive has informed me that all GPs have by now received a letter from their local health manager inviting expressions of interest in becoming involved with the HSE in the further development of primary care services, and in particular in the formation of primary care teams either this year or in coming years. I am encouraged to learn that in excess of 1,000 general practitioners have responded positively to this invitation.

Following the identification by the HSE of the GPs to be involved in the development of primary care teams in 2006, a considerable amount of work will be required to realign HSE services to give best efficiencies for team-working and to determine ideal team compositions to meet the needs of identified areas. This will be an operational matter for the HSE.

The HSE has also informed me that it intends to establish 100 primary care teams in 2006, while work will also commence during 2006 with GPs who will help to form teams in 2007. My Department will continue to work with the HSE in order to monitor progress in this regard.