Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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2474. To ask the Minister for Health if she is aware of the issues surrounding the lack of GP services in Enfield, County Meath; the steps her Department is taking to resolve these issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21245/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Government is aware that there is limited access to GP services in certain areas and that more GPs are needed to improve the availability of GP services.

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 1 April, there are 2,557 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme and a further 623 GPs do not hold a GMS contract but hold at least one other contract with the HSE for the provision of health services.

A number of measures have been taken in recent years to increase the attractiveness of general practice in Ireland as a career and increase the number of GPs practicing here.

Significant increases in investment in general practice has been provided under the 2019 and 2023 GP Agreements. 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, including the introduction of a support for practices in urban areas of social deprivation.

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.

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. The number of GP graduates has increased in recent years and will continue to increase in the coming years as a result of the increased number of new entrant training places.

Furthermore, recruitment of GPs from abroad is ongoing under the 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 to Ireland this year.