I wish to raise an issue that is very important to people across the north Cork area including in Fermoy and Mitchelstown. Unfortunately, I am meeting a huge number of people who are retired or who have complicated healthcare needs and who want access to GP services across the north Cork area. In north Cork, we have two primary care centres but they are under serious pressure because of a lack of GP services. My siblings all work in the healthcare setting, in pharmacy, and others are studying medicine. Indeed, I am the only one that is not in healthcare. They tell me, as do others working in the sector, that they are under fierce pressure to get additional GPs across the north Cork region. I ask the Taoiseach to have a conversation at Cabinet with the Minister for Health to see if we can get additional resources to address the issue of access to GP and primary care services in the north Cork area for people who are so desperately in need.

I thank the Deputy for making that important point for his constituents in north Cork in terms of access to GP services. I will certainly discuss the matter with the Minister for Health and the HSE. We are now seeing a very significant increase in the number of training places for GPs. We are also now looking at other pathways that we can put in place in universities but I do recognise that in certain parts of the country, there may be particular challenges. There is an option available now in terms of having salaried GPs in those areas. Without knowing the particulars, but that is definitely one option that is available to the Minister for Health and the HSE. I will talk to the Minister and will revert to Deputy O'Connor on the issue.