Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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451. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in negotiating a new general practitioner contract; and the timeline for completion of this process [32026/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Reform of the GMS contract will enable GPs to better meet the needs of their patients while promoting general practice as a viable and rewarding career for both existing doctors and future medical graduates.  Agreement on the delivery of service improvements and contractual reform has the potential to facilitate a substantial increase in the resourcing of general practice on a multiannual basis. 

Officials from my Department and the HSE met with the Irish Medical Organisation at the beginning of May to set out the State's position in relation to reform of the GMS contract. The Department subsequently wrote to the IMO setting out these proposals formally.  While officials remain available for further discussion, the Organisation has yet to respond.

In line with the long-established approach to such processes, and by agreement of the parties concerned, I am not in a position to give further details at this stage.