Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will ensure that the promised increase in general practitioner training places to 150 in 2008 is delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2201/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 122 together.

It is recognised that the number of General Practitioners (GPs) being trained at present is not sufficient to meet anticipated manpower need. In 2004, My Department agreed with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) that the number of GP vocational training places should be increased from 84 to 150 on a phased basis over three years. Since 2005, an additional €6 million has been provided to the Health Service Executive (HSE) to enable the creation of additional GP places. I am informed by the HSE that to date, 36 of the additional 66 places have been filled.

There are currently 12 GP vocational training programmes in the State and these programmes are accredited by the ICGP. The HSE has indicated that there have been capacity issues within these training programmes and that this is the principal reason that it has not been possible to increase the number of training places as quickly as had been hoped. I understand that the HSE has been working closely with the ICGP with a view to addressing these issues.

Under Section 86 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007, the HSE has responsibility inter alia for the following:

Promoting the development of specialist medical education and training;

Co-ordinating such developments in co-operation with the Medical Council and the medical training bodies;

Undertaking appropriate medical workforce planning for the purpose of meeting specialist medical staffing and training needs, in co-operation with the medical training bodies and after consultation with the Higher Education Authority;

Assessing on an annual basis the number and type of specialist medical training posts required by the health service.

Therefore, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address the matters raised and to have replies issued directly to the Deputies.