Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold a GMS contract with the HSE for the provision of medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders.

Where a GMS patient, a person that holds a medical card or GP visit card, experiences difficulty in finding a GP to accept them as a patient, the person concerned having unsuccessfully applied to at least three GPs in the area (or fewer if there are fewer GPs in the area) can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit which has the power to assign a GMS patient to a GP's GMS patient list, in accordance with the GMS contract. Likewise, a parent on behalf of a child GMS patient who experiences difficulty in finding a GP that will accept their child as a patient can apply to the HSE National Medical Card Unit also.

People who do not hold a medical card or GP visit card access GP services on a private basis and can make enquiries directly to any GP practice they wish to register with. As private practitioners, it is a matter for each individual GP to decide whether to accept additional private patients. Neither my department nor the HSE have any role in assigning patients who do not hold a medical card or a GP visit card to a GP's patient list.

The Government has undertaken several measures to increase GP capacity and improved access to services. Increased annual investment of over €211 million was provided for under the 2019 GP Agreement, providing for increased GP fees, supports and new services. A further €30 million has been provided for under the GP Agreement 2023 for practice supports to expand and retain practice staff.

The annual intake of doctors into the GP training programme has been increased by 80% from 2015 to 2023; there were 286 new entrants to GP training in 2023 and it is planned to increase the number of places for new entrants to 350 for this year. Furthermore, the joint HSE ICGP non-EU Rural GP Programme commenced last year with the intention of bring up to 100 non-EU GPs to Ireland in 2023, and it is planned to bring up to 250 more non-EU GPs here by the end of this year.

The requirements for the submission of a medical report from a registered medical practitioner as part of an application for disability allowance is governed by the Department of Social Protection. The completion of such medical certificates is not a service provided for under the GMS scheme. Section 11 of the GMS contract stipulates that fees in respect of certain medical certificates which may be required, for example, "under the Social Welfare Acts or for the purposes of insurance or assurance policies or for the issue of driving licences" are not covered by the contract.