Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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766. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the general practitioner who runs the practice in Dunkineely Health Centre, Dunkineely, County Donegal, has informed patients that the practice will close with immediate effect (details supplied); the steps that he will take to ensure that there is a replacement doctor as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58159/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or community.

Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Where a vacancy arises in a practice with a GMS contract, the HSE becomes actively involved in the recruitment process to find a replacement GP. In the interim the HSE puts in place a locum or other appropriate arrangement to maintain GP services to the communities in question.

As the issue of GMS vacancies is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly regarding the GP service at Dunkineely Health Centre, as soon as possible.