Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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2865. To ask the Minister for Health to consider the use of private out of hours services or private 24-hour access doctors to alleviate the long delays in medical card patients accessing appointments with their GP; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42440/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Irish model of general practice is based on private practice, and all GPs providing GP services in Ireland currently are private practitioners.

Under the GMS scheme, the HSE contracts GPs to provide medical services without charge to medical card and GP visit card holders. GPs who hold a GMS contract are required by their contract to make suitable arrangements to enable contact to be made by their patients with them, or a locum or deputy, for emergencies outside of normal practice hours. Most GPs participate in GP out of hours co-operatives as a means of meeting this requirement, such services facilitate the provision of GP services outside of normal surgery hours to GMS patients and private patients. GP cooperatives are private organisations.

GP OOH services are intended for urgent GP care needed outside of normal surgery hours. Routine and regularly scheduled GP care involves a continuity of care best suited to the patient's own GP practice and should be scheduled with that practice during normal hours.

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.

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.

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.