Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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326. To ask the Minister for Health the number of GPs operating in Tipperary. [16158/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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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. As of the 1st of March, there are 2,553 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme, and a further 621 GPs that do not hold a GMS contract but hold at least one other contract with the HSE for the provision of health services.

In relation to the number of GPs operating in Tipperary, as this is a service matter I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly in relation to contracted GPs, as soon as possible.