Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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1586. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to address the shortage of general practitioners serving rural towns such as Rathcormac in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30344/25]

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 June, there are 2,558 GPs contracted to provide services under the GMS Scheme and a further 629 GPs do not hold a GMS contract but hold at least one other contract with the HSE for the provision of health services.

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. 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.

In addition, specific supports are in place to support GPs in rural areas. The practice support package for rural GP practices was increased by 10% under the 2019 GP Agreement. Practices in receipt of rural practice supports attract the maximum allowable rates for practice staff support subsidies and locum contributions for leave taking.

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. As a result, the number of GP graduates has increased in recent years and will continue to increase in the coming years.

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.

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 underserved 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.