Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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2764. To ask the Minister for Health the current general practitioner to population in the Fingal area, particularly in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk; how this compares to the national average; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41900/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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2766. To ask the Minister for Health the number of public health contracts, by general practitioner in Fingal, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41902/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2764 and 2766 together.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Please note that GPs are private practitioners, most of whom hold on an individual basis one or more contracts 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 in relation to individual HSE contracted GPs.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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2765. To ask the Minister for Health the steps her Department is taking to address the capacity constraints of GP services in Fingal where population growth has outpaced GP supply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41901/25]

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.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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2767. To ask the Minister for Health the plans her Department has to expand general practitioner training placements or incentivise practice establishment in high growth areas such as Balbriggan, Rush and Lusk, where demand is increasing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41903/25]

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.

It is acknowledged that there is limited access to GP services in certain areas. 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.

Significant increases in investment in general practice have 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 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.

With regard to GP training places, the annual intake of doctors into the GP training programme 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.

In addition, recruitment of GPs from abroad is ongoing under the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. 118 IMG doctors are currently in practice here with a further 18 having completed the new 2-year programme. Funding has been provided to recruit up to 250 more GPs to Ireland this year under the programme.

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 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.