Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
895. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health her plans to expand general practitioner training places to meet growing population needs and to ensure adequate GP coverage in areas experiencing shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3384/26]
View answerIt is acknowledged that more GPs are needed to improve access to services in certain areas. To meet this need, the Programme for Government has committed to increasing the number of practising GPs through a combination of increased training places and international recruitment.
In part, to attract doctors to practice as GPs here, the Government has significantly increased expenditure on general practice, primarily through the 2019 and 2023 GP Agreements. The Agreements provide for increased fees for GPs, increased and new practice supports, and new services for patients including the GP Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Programme, making general practice in Ireland a more attractive career choice for doctors.
The positive impact of these measures is being seen in the increased number of doctors both applying for and undertaking GP training.
The annual intake of doctors into the GP training programme has been increased by approximately 80% from 2019 to 2024, with 350 new entrant training places made available in 2024 and again in 2025. The number of new entrant training places is to increase again this year by 50 places to 400. As a result, the number of GP graduates has increased in recent years and will continue to increase in the coming years.
In addition, recruitment of GPs from abroad is ongoing under the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Rural GP Programme. Under the programme, GPs work in general practice while undergoing a 2-year training programme following which they can take up a GMS contract (normally training for 4 years is required). Placement of these GPs is targeted to rural and underserved areas. As of end of Q3 2025, there are 115 IMG GPs within the programme placed in general practice and a further 39 have completed the 2-year programme.
Further potential measures to support GP practices are being considered under the Strategic Review of General Practice. The review, currently underway, is examining the broad range of issues affecting general practice including issues related to GP capacity and will consider possible mechanisms to attract more GPs to rural and underserved areas. Following its completion, a final report will be presented to me outlining the findings of the review and setting out recommended actions for a more sustainable general practice.
