Kieran O'Donnell
Limerick City · Fine Gael · Ireland
“The triangle of supports of home care, day care and meals on wheels services — including dementia-specific supports — plays a vital role in helping older people to age well in their own communities. Meals on wheels services provide much more than nutritious meals.”
“The organisation currently operates a day care service four days per week, supporting approximately 60 registered users, and a meals on wheels service with 104 registered users. The HSE has advised that increased funding has been committed to support the organisation.”
“I join the Leas-Chathaoirleach in welcoming the Kellehers to the Seanad, which is a beautiful building in its own right. I thank Senator Kelleher for raising this important matter. He has advocated for Westgate Foundation over a sustained period of time and that has to be acknowledged. I know the work it does is close to his heart.”
“I again thank the Senator for raising Westgate Foundation in Ballincollig and the work it does on behalf of the community, particularly older people. The Senator referred to housing on-site. It is very much an integrated model. I could see how committed the staff and the board, many of them voluntary, were.”
“The Government has significantly increased investment in meals on wheels services in recent years. Funding increased from €3.5 million in 2022 to €6.25 million in 2025, with a further €2 million allocated in budget 2026 to support service expansion and maintenance.”
“The shared objective of the HSE and Westgate Foundation is to ensure high-quality day care and meals on wheels services continue to be available to older people who rely on them, particularly in the greater Ballincollig area.”
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“HIQA’s review identified three potential options for the region, namely, option A, expand capacity at the UHL site in Dooradoyle; option B, extend the UHL campus to include an additional adjacent site; and option C, develop a model 3 hospital in the mid-west to provide a second emergency department. In December, the Minister for Health received Government support to progress a blend of all three options. Work to progress option A is being rapidly advanced, including the delivery of a new 96-bed block at Dooradoyle in October 2025. There is also ongoing work to deliver a second 96-bed block and planning is under way for additional 16- and 66-bed blocks. The ESRI projected that between 299 and 503 additional beds will be required across the mid-west by 2040 compared to 2023 levels.”
“The Government is fully committed to delivering the highest quality care in the mid-west. We have carefully considered all of HIQA’s recommendations following its review of urgent and emergency care in the region. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has listened carefully to the determined advocacy of people, healthcare professionals and public representatives across the mid-west. She has visited the region on a number of occasions and will continue to listen. The Minister remains focused on ensuring the recommendations arising from HIQA’s assessment are implemented in a timely and co-ordinated manner and that people in the mid-west have access to safe, high-quality and reliable care.”
“The budget for UHL has increased from €265 million to €569 million in the same period. Staffing at the university hospital has grown by 57% to 4,422 whole-time equivalents, WTEs, since December 2019, which is an increase of 1,608 WTEs from 2,814. This includes 319 more whole-time equivalent doctors, including consultants, 616 more nurses and midwives, as well as 199 more health and social care professionals. The Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has been advised by the HSE that recruitment of clinical front-line staff at UHL and throughout the region can continue as normal. Baseline implementation of the safe staffing framework has been funded in UHL. The framework was implemented on a phased basis between 2022 and 2024 in the emergency department and all 22 medical and surgical wards. More must and will be done.”
“I thank Deputy Quinlivan for the opportunity to discuss the challenges and the ongoing developments to support University Hospital Limerick and our health services across the mid- west region. I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I acknowledge that there are significant challenges at the UHL site, which are having an impact on patients, staff and families in Limerick and the mid-west region. I also recognise the dedicated and hardworking staff at UHL and throughout the health services in the region and I accept that the numbers on trolleys are too high. The Government is working and is committed to addressing the challenges facing acute care across the mid-west. Investment in the hospitals in the region has increased from €370 million in 2019 to €763 million in 2025.”
“I again state that the opening of the new community nursing home unit in Killarney is an absolute priority for myself, the Department of Health and the HSE. I am committed to ensuring that the residents can move into their new homes without delay. It is their home and that is something that is very important. I once again thank the staff representatives for their engagement. This is a collaborative effort and we all want to work to ensure that we get this new 130-bed state-of-the-art nursing home unit in Killarney open as quickly as possible.”
“I want to see the additional capacity of 29 beds in the CNU to bring it up to 130 beds to be in place as quickly as possible. As I said, it will provide 50 long-stay beds, 30 dementia-specific beds and 50 short-stay beds. It is hugely important and is a priority for me as the Minister of State with responsibility for older people. It is a priority for the Department of Health, the HSE and the Government. We will get the new, state-of-the-art community nursing home unit in Killarney open as quickly as possible. Everyone is working actively on that goal for Killarney. I will continue to meet the HSE, along with the Department of Health officials, to ensure that it continues to get the priority it deserves.”
“I thank Deputy Healy-Rae. I join with him in commending all the staff in both St. Columbanus and the district hospital in Killarney who provide such a great service to the patients who are there. As I said, the 101 patients will transfer over to the new community nursing home unit. All current staff will transfer to the new facility and I have been advised that the recruitment campaigns for additional staff are well under way to allow for the opening of the additional beds in Killarney. I want to see the new community nursing home unit open in Killarney. That is a process. There is an application before HIQA and the way that will work is that the existing residents in St. Columbanus and the district hospital will transfer to the new nursing home when it is registered.”
“A process to appoint a design team to progress the proposal is under way and is expected to conclude in the quarter 2 of this year. The opening of the new community nursing unit in Killarney is an absolute priority for me, the Department of Health and the HSE, and indeed the Government. This state-of-the-art CNU will enhance the lives of older people in Killarney and the surrounding areas for many years to come by providing the highest quality health and social care services, and I look forward to seeing it fully operational.”
“I have spoken directly to the HSE about it and have been assured that it is taking place. I thank the staff representative bodies for their continued engagement. I advise the Deputy that HSE South West will continue to engage with residents, families, staff and the wider community on all updates in relation to the opening of the new Killarney community nursing unit. HSE South West advises that it does not envisage that the current delay in opening the new Killarney community nursing unit will have any impact on services or new developments. HSE South West is planning to set up an injury unit in the vacated St. Columbanus building to support the existing emergency department in University Hospital Kerry in Tralee and does not foresee any delay in these planned services.”
“There is a process, and part of the process is that it has to be taken over by the HSE, which happened in December, and then there is an application to HIQA, which has happened. I have requested that engagement with residents and their families take place. All current staff will transfer to the new facility, and I have been advised that the recruitment campaigns for the additional staff required are well under way to allow for the opening of the additional beds in Killarney CNU. The current two nursing homes have 101 patients. Those staff will transfer to the new CNU. There will be an additional 29 patients to bring it up to a full complement of 130. Engagement with union representatives at a local level is also ongoing and I thank the staff representatives for their continued engagement. That is taking place.”
“The application for the registration of Killarney CNU has been submitted to HIQA and an opening date for the new CNU will be fully finalised once HIQA registration has been achieved, and this will allow for the opening over the coming weeks. Once HIQA registration is secured, the new unit will open on a phased basis, with a planned transfer of residents from St. Columbanus and the district hospital, as the Deputy already referenced, to the new building. HSE South West has assured me that there is ongoing engagement with residents and their families ahead of the transfer. I have taken a particular personal interest in the opening of this CNU. I have met the HSE on a number of occasions with Department officials to ensure that Killarney CNU is opened as quickly as possible.”
“The public private partnership aspect of the community nursing unit programme continues to progress and will deliver 528 beds in seven facilities across the country. The new community nursing unit in Killarney is part of the public private partnership project and will have a complement of 130 beds providing 50 long-stay beds, 30 dementia-specific beds and 50-short stay beds. The CNU will provide a high-quality living environment that will be in line with all regulatory requirements. I advise the Deputy that the new facility was handed over to the HSE by the contractor in December 2025. I accept that is over four or five months ago. HSE South West has advised me that preparations for Killarney CNU to welcome residents are now at an advanced stage.”
“I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for raising this important matter. Long-term residential care is a crucial part of the overall continuum of care and, across the country, our HSE community nursing units, CNUs, and community hospitals play a vital role in the provision of long-term care and other services. The Government is committed to continued investment in healthcare infrastructure that supports the highest quality care for our older population. This investment includes the community nursing home capital programme, which was launched to ensure that up to 90 of our public community nursing units and community hospitals would be refurbished or replaced to ensure the best quality environments for our older people.”
“I want to thank all Members for their continued engagement on this very important matter and echo whatever everyone has said, namely, that this is a partnership with Dignity4Patients and, more particularly, the people its represents - the victims and survivors of Michael Shine.”
“We have a responsibility to those impacted to make sure this work is careful, caring, comprehensive and considerate. It must result in real change and improvements. As the Minister stated earlier in the debate, the final report and recommendations will be submitted to Government to guide and development of an appropriate bespoke response to the issues raised and the needs identified on behalf of the victims and survivors of Michael Shine. Many speakers made reference to various aspects, which the Minister is taking under very careful consideration. We have listened carefully to everything raised in this House today regarding the victims and survivors of Michael Shine.”
“The lived experience and voices of victims and survivors are at the centre of this scoping exercise and will shape this work. We particularly thank victims and survivors for engaging with Mr. Staines and for their incredible courage and commitment to this process. We appreciate that participating in the process like this must be exceptionally difficult for them and their families but their lived experience is essential to shaping a bespoke approach that will lead to real and lasting change. Mr. Staines is approaching his work with care, independence and respect and with the engagement of victims and survivors, this scoping exercise will deliver the understanding accountability and improvements that victims and survivors, their families and the public deserve.”
“Lorcan Staines SC, is tasked with finalising the terms of reference for the scoping exercise in direct consultation with Dignity4Patients. Mr. Staines will have the resources and the full support from Government he requires to assess the full situation and provide a meaningful bespoke approach and response capable of addressing decades-long traumas. We thank Mr. Staines for his work on this scoping exercise, which is over halfway through the 16-week period, and look forward receiving his final report. We particularly thank Dignity4Patients for its sincere and meaningful engagement with Mr. Staines to finalise the terms of reference and for its continued support to the victims and survivors. Mr. Staines will carry out his role as the independent facilitator through direct engagement with victims and survivors of Michael Shine.”
“This scoping exercise is essential for enabling those impacted to contribute to shaping any future response. Its purpose to recognise harm, analyse failures and strengthen our system to ensure that it is safe, effective and compassionate enough to prevent such failures from happening again. It is important to emphasise that this scoping exercise will be substantive with a focus on rigour and direct engagement with the lived experience of victims and survivors of Michael Shine. To the families, victims and survivors listening today, I say that their great courage and advocacy have shaped the scoping exercise and their voices will continue to guide what happens next. This process is intentionally designed so that the independent facilitator, Mr.”
“Deputy Nash referred to people coming forward initially. That must have been very traumatic and required great bravery, not to mind revisiting the trauma now. The appointment of Mr. Lorcan Staines SC, and the trauma-informed, victim-centred approach underpinning the scoping exercise, represent the commitment of the Government, including the Minister for Health, to ensuring victims and survivors are heard and treated with dignity, respect and care at every step. Their well-being is the foundation upon which this work is built. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, had to attend the Cabinet meeting and has already referred to that. However, her officials are present today and she will be looking at all the contributions made in this debate.”
“I sincerely thank the Members of the House for their heartfelt contributions this evening and the specific points raised. Today, the House has reflected on the scoping exercise in response to requests from Dignity4Patients on behalf of the victims and survivors of Michael Shine. As we close, I want to bring us back to the heart of why this process matters. It is because it affects the lives of the people who have been so deeply shaped by the events and systems we are now examining. The survivors and victims who came forward through Dignity4Patients have shown immense courage. Everyone here today has remarked on that courage. The victims have carried trauma and pain for a very long time, and it takes profound bravery to revisit the experience of harm and violation in order to help to shape a system that is safer for others.”
“Annual reporting by local authorities to An Coimisiún Toghcháin, and the commission's own annual report in which it can make recommendations and set standards, will ensure the work done to date will continue to be built upon. As I have said, it is also a matter for each of us to ensure our details are correct and up to date. This is something we can do and encourage others to do. I join Senator Gallagher in encouraging people to engage with the local authorities on this process and I ask them to revert to the local authority on any correspondence they receive on the register of electors. I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this important issue.”
“I thank Senator Gallagher for bringing this issue up for discussion, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. This is a very important issue and one on which we have made significant progress. I have set out the critical work done by local authorities in recent years, including on legacy data quality issues. I join Senator Gallagher in acknowledging and paying tribute to the work of local authority staff in this regard. As Senator Gallagher has done, I encourage people to respond to the local authorities and engage with them on ensuring we have an up-to-date and accurate register of electors in each local authority area. We have put in place structures and processes to ensure the integrity of this critical piece of our democratic infrastructure is maintained and enhanced.”
“Senator Gallagher made reference to encouraging the public when they are written to by the local authority to revert to it as quickly as possible. Clearly, we want to people on the register and we want the register to be accurate. Engagement with the public and people coming back to the local authorities is very important. This is the latest update from the Minister.”
“The Government's commitment to this and the work of local authorities are yielding results. In December 2025 the local government sector reported that over one in four entries on the register had been updated and has an associated PPSN, which means these entries have been checked and confirmed. A total of 74% of entries had a date of birth, 73% had an eircode and 60% of registered electors have both. We expect these trends to continue. Local authorities, which have responsibility for electoral registration, have done a huge amount of work to get us to this point and I acknowledge this. In addition, the engagement of the public is critical. Each of us is responsible for ensuring that our details on the register are current and correct.”
“Building on the €6.5 million made available directly to local authorities since 2023 to improve the data quality of their electoral registers, in 2025 the Minister, Deputy Browne, made nearly €5 million available to fund two clerical officers at grade Ill for a period of 18 months in each local authority to undertake specific tasks to prepare for migration to the new system, including standardisation and translation, as well as identifying and following up on deceased and potentially duplicated electors across the country. An Coimisiún Toghcháin, in its first annual report on electoral registers in May 2025, identified with concern the legacy issues around register data but acknowledged the enormous amount of work being carried out by local authorities to address these while making recommendations to accelerate this work.”
“The new, integrated national system will, among other things, enable local authorities to identify and manage duplicate and deceased electors at national level. Overall, the system will streamline the administration of the register of electors within a modern, secure architecture and will provide an enhanced service to the public, including through enabling the use of MyGovID.”
“I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. The Electoral Reform Act 2022 provided for significant changes to streamline and modernise the electoral registration process, including the introduction of continuous and online registration, as well as the use of PPSNs in the registration process, making it easier for people to check and update their information. In the intervening period, over 1 million applications for updates to the register have been made by the public through the online portals. The Act also put in place the legal basis for a new national electoral registration system, which will be delivered by Dublin City Council this year, supported by the Department.”
“Finbarr's in Cork city, which will have 105 beds, and Midleton CNU, which will have a total of 50 beds. I want to see those opened as quickly as possible. I am working with the HSE and the Department to make that happen. I think the Deputy will find they will be opened relatively soon. The HSE continually reviews its services in line with population health planning and Sláintecare principles to ensure adequate and appropriate residential care is available for our older population. I will be following up on Heather House. I ask the Deputy to keep in contact with my office for updates. I will come back to him with a direct update. Any updates I get, I will provide to the Deputy.”
“I want to see the unit open as quickly as possible and I am going to get directly involved with Department officials and the HSE to see how it can be expedited. This redesigned Primrose unit will offer a choice in long-term residential care for people with dementia. I agree with the Deputy that dementia units are hugely important. As I have already outlined, the Daisy unit located in the original building is currently undergoing essential fire upgrade works and is scheduled to reopen at the end of the year. I want to see if that can be expedited. When complete, this will bring the total capacity of the Heather House CNU to 102 beds. I am committed to maximising the number of beds for older people. As already mentioned, older persons' services in Cork will soon be enhanced by the opening of two new CNUs, St.”
“Community nursing units such as Heather House form an integral part of local communities and provide invaluable service to the people who live in those communities as they age. I have already outlined that there are currently 60 beds open in Heather House CNU. I will once again reiterate that the new 17-bed dementia unit is at the final stage of applying for registration with HIQA. The HSE advises that the final works agreed with HIQA are in progress and will be completed in the coming weeks. I have to work within a process. The process is that the HSE applies to HIQA and HIQA has to give approval. The unit cannot be opened until HIQA gives its approval. I cannot give the Deputy a final date today because I have to work through that process. However, I will give another commitment.”
“The key element here is that, if they are all opened, there would be 102 beds within Heather House. That is hugely significant in terms of increased capacity. That is the up-to-date position. I will listen to the Deputy's follow-up and then come back with a closing statement.”
“Finbarr’s in Cork city will have a total of 105 beds and Midleton CNU will have a total of 50 beds. With specific regard to dementia, I advise the Deputy that 30 dementia-specific beds will form part of the bed complement at St. Finbarr’s CNU. I assure the Deputy that I am committed to working alongside the HSE to address all concerns in respect of the residential care of older people in Cork city and county over the coming years. I will give him a commitment that I have already made direct contact with the HSE and with my officials and that this is something I am going to personally follow up on myself. I am going to see what the reasons for the delays are and how we can expedite the opening of the new dementia unit. I also want to look at including the 25-bed unit in the Daisy wing.”
“I am going to look at that as well to see if we can expedite the opening of the 25-bed unit. HSE South West has been working to increase the quantity of public nursing home beds in the region to offer further long-term residential care capacity and choice for older people living in Cork city and county. The HSE continues to focus on providing a residential care service focused on quality and safety while also meeting the needs of individual residents. HSE South West continuously reviews the community’s needs in line with population health planning and Sláintecare principles. To this end, it is committed to ensuring that optimal services will continue to be provided and developed for older people in Cork. Older persons' services in Cork will soon be enhanced by the opening of two new community nursing units. St.”
“HIQA has come back and said that there are two twin rooms and they want them to be single, so it is going from 19 to 17. The HSE advised that the final works, as agreed with HIQA, are in progress and will be completed in the coming weeks. I want to see this unit opened as quickly as possible as well. I am getting directly involved, as Minister of State, to ensure we get it open as quickly as possible. I assure the Deputy that I am committed to working alongside HSE South West to get Primrose, the new dementia-specific unit, opened in Heather House as soon as HIQA registration is obtained. I wish to inform the Deputy that the 25-bed Daisy unit located in the original building is currently undergoing essential fire upgrade works and the HSE advised me that it is scheduled to reopen at the end of 2026.”
“I thank Deputy Gould for raising this important matter. Heather House Community Nursing Unit, CNU, provides important and valued services for the people of the northside of Cork city and surrounding areas. There is a typo in the reply. I understand the significant role the CNU plays in the community and the importance of the facility. Heather House Community Nursing Unit was opened in 2011, and a 60-bed extension was added in 2023. The CNU is currently registered with HIQA to accommodate a maximum of 60 residents in two units, namely, Poppy and Lily, which are located in the new extension. The two units in the original building, Daisy and Primrose, are currently closed. The HSE informed me today that the new 17-bed dementia-specific unit is at the final stage for application to register with HIQA. Deputy Gould name-checked 19.”
“Local authorities have plans in place that they continue to refine and enhance. They are also implementing resilience measures, such as having generators ready for community support centres to ensure communities can be supported during high-impact events. My Department continues to work with all local authorities as they develop their resilience and continue to invest in the fire service, which is the principal response agency in the context of severe weather and flooding. As can be seen in the fire service capital programme just announced by my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Browne, the 2026-2030 programme will see €28.5 million invested to strengthen fire and emergency services nationwide so they are able to respond when communities are at risk.”
“I thank Senator Gallagher again for raising this important issue, which I have taken on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne. It is important to acknowledge the vitally important work undertaken by local authorities across the country during incidents of flooding and severe weather events more generally. Local authorities are the first responders. They receive the call when roads are flooded, trees are down, riverbanks have broken, and homes and critical infrastructure are at risk. Fire services, road and outdoor crews, and emergency management teams are ready to deploy to assist their communities 365 days a year. I am sure I speak for everyone when I thank them. The time, effort and planning that goes into being ready to respond to such events should be acknowledged.”
“The sector also continues to work with the Department of Transport and TII to co-ordinate winter preparedness for road networks, including availability of salt stocks for local authorities as necessary throughout the winter season. My Department continues to engage with all relevant sectors on the co-ordination of the response to severe weather and major flooding events, maintaining a close working relationship with the local authorities and co-ordinating appropriate response arrangements as necessary. Local authorities are the first responders. They are the ones that receive the calls when roads are flooded or trees are down. The local authorities are the first responders, but I will come back to the Senator in this regard.”
“My Department is providing funding to all local authorities to enhance the resilience of designated centres through the installation of a suitable manual changeover switch that can be utilised with the local authority mobile generators funded by the Department of Community and Rural Development and the Gaeltacht. All local authorities prepared for this winter season, increasing supplies of sandbags and salt for road treatment. Programmes of clearing debris from gullies, etc., have been managed through the past number of months. The sector has worked with local contractors, such as forestry and agricultural contractors, to formalise arrangements for the speedy activation of road clearing and other services when required.”
“A further review will take place in quarter 2 2026 to incorporate learnings from the recent winter season. Community support centres were activated in Donegal during Storm Amy in October 2025 to assist impacted communities. A community support centre was also activated in Aughrim, County Wicklow following flooding in January 2026. In addition, local authorities have undertaken a procurement process to obtain mobile generators in conjunction with the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. These generators will be available to be deployed rapidly when required to support community support centres. To facilitate the operation of the generators at individual community support centres, the installation of a changeover switch is required to enable the premises to switch from mains power to the generator.”
“This was followed by a workshop aimed at strengthening severe weather and flood plans in November 2025, attended by all local authorities and other relevant agencies. Local authorities have now been tasked with reviewing and updating their plans. These will be reviewed in 2026 by the NDFEM as part of the ongoing national preparedness and assurance work. In the context of my Department, a number of measures were taken in advance of the 2025-26 winter season to ensure a co-ordinated response to severe weather and flooding events going forward. A priority following Storm Éowyn was the development of the community hub concept into community support centres. Guidance on community support centres was issued by the national directorate for fire and emergency management to all local authorities in June 2025, and it was updated in December 2025.”
“It is widely acknowledged that local authorities consistently demonstrate both leadership and capacity in dealing with severe weather incidents. All local authorities prepare and operate individual severe weather and flood plans, relevant to their local flood risk and response capabilities, that guide their response to flooding and other severe weather events. After Storm Éowyn, my Department undertook a comprehensive review of severe weather and flood plans across all 31 local authorities. The review identified a wide range of good practice but it also highlighted variations in structure, terminology, clarity of roles and varying level of operational detail. Examples of good practice have been circulated to support learning and continuous improvement in the evolution of local authority plans.”
“I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and providing me with the opportunity to clarify the role of my Department and the local authority sector in relation to flood response. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. My Department is mandated to undertake the lead government function for the co-ordination of a whole-of-government response to exceptionally severe weather events. The national directorate for fire and emergency management, NDFEM, carries out this function within my Department, as assigned under the strategic emergency management framework. Local authorities are designated with the responsibility for the response to severe weather emergencies, including flooding.”
“The report identifies the need for between 943 and 1,211 additional GPs and between 761 and 868 GP nurses by 2040. The number of new GP training places is to increase to 400 this year. We have nearly double the number of new entrant places available since 2020. In addition, trained GPs continue to be recruited from abroad and other international medical graduates and placed in practices in rural and underserved areas, providing an immediate increase in service provision for those areas where more GPs are most needed. When completed, the report and strategic review of general practice, as set out by the Minister, will provide for a more sustainable GP service into the future. The points the Senator has raised will be brought to the attention of the Minister for Health and the Department.”
“I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming the group from Piercestown National School. It is great to see so many young budding politicians seeing the Seanad in operation. I again thank Senator Boyhan for raising this important matter. As stated earlier, I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Government acknowledges there are existing pressures in general practice. The recent ESRI report on GP capacity shows that our ageing and growing population, which Senator Boyhan has referenced, along with the shift to provide greater care in community-based settings, will increase demand for general practice services in the coming years in all areas, with more GPs and general practice nurses required to meet this additional demand.”
“It examines a range of important issues affecting general practice around capacity, training, out-of-hours services, ehealth and the need for further and revised supports for general practice. The potential for HSE-employed GPs as well as other possible measures to bring more GPs to underserved areas is also being examined. Continuing to train, increase GP numbers and recruit more GPs from abroad will see our GP workforce grow, while the work of the strategic review will provide the basis for the future sustainability of general practice.”
“Under this programme, GPs work in general practice while undergoing two years of self-directed learning after which they can register under the medical council specialist register and take up a GMS contract themselves. As of 2019, there were 111 doctors in practice under the IMG programme. Fifty-eight more have completed a two-year programme. The placement of IMG GPs in practices is targeted at rural areas and difficult to fill posts in various locations around the country. In addition to the ongoing work to increase GP numbers, a strategic review of general practice is currently under way. I anticipate the Senator will enquire when it be completed. The Department advised me that it will be completed this year. The review is led by the Department of Health with support from the HSE and input from stakeholders.”
“The annual intake of doctors into the GP training programme has been increased by approximately 80% from 2019 to 2024, with 215 new entrant training places made available in 2024 and again in 2025. The number of new entrant training places has been increased by a further 50, which brings it to 400 places this year in 2026. As a result, the number of GPs graduating has increased and will increase more in the next few years. Future increases in the number of GP training places will be kept under consideration. In addition, the recruitment of GPs from abroad commenced under the international medical graduate, IMG, rural GP programme in 2023.”
“To make general practice in Ireland more attractive as a career and to increase the level of services provided to patients, investment in general practice has increased by over €340 million under the 2019 and 2020 GP General Medical Services, GMS, agreements. The 2019 GP agreement provided for an enormous 50% increase in capitation payment rates for GPs and a 10% increase to rural practice supports. Improvements to GP maternity and paternity leave arrangements were also made and a support for practices in urban areas of deprivation was introduced. The 2023 GP agreement introduced a new grant for additional practice staff capacity and a support for staff maternity leave taking. It also provides a locum sourcing support for rural GMS practices; the Senator alluded to rural practices.”
“I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this important issue. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The Government recognises the need for more GPs not only to meet current demand, but to meet the future needs of our growing and ageing population. A strong and sustainable general practice is essential to our health service. As Senator Boyhan has said, GPs are a vital component of our health system. They do great work. For that reason, the programme for Government commits to increasing the number of practising GPs through a combination of increased training places and international recruitment, while several steps have already been taken in recent years to increase GP capacity.”