Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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878. To ask the Minister for Health the progress being made in negotiations with general practitioners that will see the problem of replacing retiring rural general practitioners resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13452/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to ensuring that patients throughout the country continue to have access to GP services and that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future. I want to ensure that existing GP services are retained and that general practice remains an attractive career option for newly-qualified GPs.

The development of a new modernised contract for the provision of general practitioner services will be a key element in facilitating this process. Previous engagements have resulted in a number of service developments including the introduction of a Diabetes Cycle of Care for adult patients with Type 2 Diabetes, an enhanced support framework for rural GPs, and a revised list of special items of service under the contract to encourage the provision of more services in the primary care setting. These measures, combined with the under-6s and over-70s universal GP care initiatives, have increased the financial support for general practice.

The next phase of discussions on a new GP contract is under way. The GP contracts review process will seek to arrive at further measures aimed at making general practice an attractive, fulfilling and rewarding career option into the future.

As with any negotiation-type process, and given the range and complexity of the issues to be discussed, the engagement may take some time. While I am of course anxious to see good progress made, it is not my intention to set a deadline for completion of discussions.