Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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297. To ask the Minister for Health the number of GPs currently registered and operational in County Louth and East Meath. [16021/25]

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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298. To ask the Minister for Health the number of GPs due to retire in County Louth and East Meath within the next five years. [16022/25]

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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299. To ask the Minister for Health the number of GPs retired from practice in County Louth and East Meath from 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025; the number of these vacancies filled for the same years. [16023/25]

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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300. To ask the Minister for Health the number of new GP practices opened in County Louth and East Meath for the years 2020 to 2025. [16024/25]

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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301. To ask the Minister for Health the number of newly qualified GPs took up work in County Louth and East Meath for the years 2020 to 2025. [16025/25]

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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303. To ask the Minister for Health the number of medical card patients, GP only card patients, private patients currently registered with a GP service in County Louth and East Meath. [16027/25]

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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304. To ask the Minister for Health the number of medical card patients, GP only card patients, private patients currently waiting to secure a place with a registered GP service in County Louth and East Meath. [16028/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 303 and 304 together.

As the questions raised relate to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy questions regarding GP services in County Louth and East Meath directly, as soon as possible.

Please note that GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold at least one contract with the HSE for the provision of medical services on its behalf, such as the GMS contract for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. Accordingly, it may only be possible for the HSE to respond to the questions raised in relation to HSE contracted GPs and GMS patients.

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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302. To ask the Minister for Health the current average number of patients per GP in County Louth; whether there is a cap on the number of patients each GP can treat; and the number of GP services currently exceed this average. [16026/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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GPs are independent practitioners who hold contracts with the HSE for the provision of health services on its behalf. Most GPs hold a GMS contract for the provision of GP services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders.

Under the terms of the GMS and GP Visit Card contracts the maximum number of medical card or GP visit card patients that a GP can have on their GMS panel is 2,000, or 2,200 if the GP also holds an under 8s contract, except for in exceptional circumstances where the HSE decides to apply a higher limit. There is no minimum number of patients specified for a panel.

The State does not prescribe the number of private patients that may be registered with a GP; this is a matter for individual GP practices.

I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible in relation to the average GMS panel size in County Louth, the number of GMS panels above the average size, and whether any panels exceed the patient limit under the GMS scheme.

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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305. To ask the Minister for Health the number of GPs estimated to be required in County Louth and East Meath over the next five years, to keep pace with the expected rise in demand based on the best information available; and the plans in place to address this. [16029/25]

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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306. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of GP surgeries in County Louth and East Meath being " at capacity "; and the plans are in place to address this. [16030/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 306 together.

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. As of the start of March, there are 2,553 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme. 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.

A number of measures have been taken in recent years to increase the number of GPs practicing in the State and thereby improve access to GP services for all patients across the country in the years to come.

Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice was increased by €211.6m. This provided for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees for additional services and increased practice supports. The GP Agreement 2023 further increased GP capitation fees, increased the existing subsidy rates for practice staff, and introduced a grant support for additional staff capacity as well a practice staff maternity leave support. These measures make general practice in Ireland a more attractive career choice for doctors.

Annual intake to the GP training scheme has been increased by approximately 80% from 2019 to 2024, with 350 new entrant training places made available from 2024. 346 new entrants commenced training last year, a 21% increase on the previous year’s intake of 286. As a consequence, the number of graduating GPs has also increased in recent years and will continue to increase into the next few years.

Furthermore, recruitment of GPs from abroad commenced in 2023 under the joint HSE and ICGP International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. 119 IMG GPs were in practice as of November last and funding has been provided to recruit up to 250 more GPs from outside Ireland to the country this year. Placement of these GPs is targeted to rural and underserved areas.

Lastly, a Strategic Review of General Practice is underway. The review, with input from key stakeholders, is examining the broad range of issues affecting general practice including issues related to GP capacity and will consider possible mechanisms to attract GPs to rural and urban deprived areas. Following its completion, a final report will be presented to me outlining the findings of the review and setting out recommended actions for a more sustainable general practice.

Joanna Byrne (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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307. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons presented to out of hours services, such as NEDOC etc, in County Louth in 2024 and to date in 2025, who are currently not registered with a GP in the county. [16031/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.