In the primary care section of A Programme for a Partnership Government there is a commitment to enter into contract negotiations with general practitioners. General practice is under serious threat because of the workload involved and manpower issues coming down the line. While there is a commitment to the urgent negotiation of a new flexible contract, there seems to be complacency about it. There was a promise before the summer that the contract would be ready to start in September and then in October, but we are at the end of November and nothing has happened. Will the Taoiseach comment?

Deputy Harty and others have made very valid contributions on the requirement for a new contract regime with GPs. The Minister for Health is very interested in it as he sees the opportunity for GPs to do much more work in primary care centres or their surgeries. It was his intention to have started the process of negotiating a new contract and he is anxious that it happen as quickly as possible. I will remind him of the Deputy's comments.