Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
653. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total number of whole-time equivalent GPs practising in the State in each year from 2020 to 2025; the estimated population per GP ratio in each year; and whether demographic change, including inward migration, is factored into primary care workforce planning models. [13869/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to ensuring adequate staffing across our health service. A comprehensive approach to health and social care workforce planning is required to ensure that staffing levels keep pace with population and demographic changes, along with policy objectives.
Ireland’s Future Health and Social Care Workforce paper from December 2025 sets out an evidence-based strategic direction for the health and social care workforce for the next 15 years. It focuses on the long-term demand and supply of health and social care workers out to 2040. It covers the entire health and social care sector, including GPs. The demand modelling used considers demographic changes, including inward migration.
The ESRI report on future GP capacity requirements provided a welcome contribution to our general practice workforce planning. The report shows that as our population grows and ages over the next 15 years, and as we continue to provide more services in the community, we need to continue to increase our general practice workforce to meet the resulting additional demand for general practice consultations.
The recent Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) technical note ‘Supply and Demand of General Practice in Ireland’, examined factors associated with the supply and demand of GPs with particular reference to the geographic dimensions of these issues. This includes how population growth in certain regions may impact on GP capacity constraints.
Regarding the number of GPs practising in the state and the estimated population per GP ratio for the years 2020-2025, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.
