An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (Resumed)
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-28
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Micheál Martin (FF), Cork South-Central

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue. General practice is one of the cornerstones of our health service. Forty-three percent of the population now has access to free GP care and Government investment has significantly increased. We spend in excess of €1 billion annually on general practice to support patients. There is a strategic review of general practice under way. The Minister for higher education has increased the places for medicine training to have more output and throughput of GPs through the colleges. We will await the strategic review. We increased funding substantially in terms of the 2019 GP agreement and a further €130 million investment under the 2023 GP agreement. We are making it more attractive. On training and recruitment in particular, there were 350 places in 2024 and 2025. That was an increase of two thirds since 2020. Getting those numbers through the colleges is going to be key.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-28