Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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92. To ask the Minister for Health the action being taken with regard to the recruitment of GPs in areas of urban disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63969/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As private practitioners, GPs establish practices at a place of their choosing. However, it is acknowledged that GP access in some areas is not where it needs to be. Accordingly, measures have been taken to increase the number of GPs practising across the country, thereby increasing access to GP services, with specific supports provided for the provision of services in rural areas and areas of urban disadvantage.

The 2019 and 2023 GMS GP Agreements have provided over €340 million in additional annual investment into general practice. They provide for, amongst other things, significant increases in capitation fees for participating GPs, new and increased supports for practices, and new services for patients.

The 2019 Agreement increased the practice support package for rural GP practices by 10%. Furthermore, it introduced since 2020 a specific fund of €2 million per annum to support GP practices in urban areas of social deprivation, which the HSE has since expanded to €3 million per annum. The funding may be used for additional health personnel costs or for the provision of additional services.

Annual intake into the GP training scheme has been increased by 80% from 2019 to 2024, with new entrant training places to increase further by 50 places next year to 400; this will continue to grow our number of GP graduates. In addition, GPs from abroad are still being recruited under the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. 115 doctors are currently in practice under the IMG programme, with 39 more having completed the 2-year programme. Placement of these GPs is targeted to rural, urban deprived and underserved areas.

Looking forward, as part of the Strategic Review of General Practice which is currently underway, potential further mechanisms to attract more GPs to rural and urban deprived areas are specifically being examined.