Empty words on GPs as Govt oppose Labour Bill to guarantee more equal access to care

• abour introduced the Health (Availability of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2025 in July 2025 on foot of extensive research by Labour last year on GP to population ratio which raised stark inequalities.
• Ironic that the Government is using a debate on expanding access to GP services to state that they will oppose Labour’s important bill which would put on a legal footing the equitable distribution of GPs.

Labour Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD has said the Government’s confirmation that it will oppose Labour’s GP bill to improve access shows that they are all talk and no action on access and availability of GP services.

Deputy Sherlock said:

“It is appalling that Government have today used the opportunity of a debate on expanding access to GP care to state their opposition to the Health (Availability of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2025 which was introduced on the 3^rd of July 2025.

“This Bill was a real tangible step to put on a legislative footing the fair and equitable access to GMS GP care across communities by the HSE. The current situation is leaving access to GP care to chance – and it is failing disadvantaged, suburban and rural communities the most.

“The Government’s concerns in relation to our legislation are absolutely weak. They demonstrate that while they were all talk today and rightfully supporting the motion brought to the House this morning, they are devoid of real substantive action and unwilling to support practical steps to improve access to GP care.

“Rather than engaging with the legislation, they are not willing to put the equitable access to primary care services into law. Instead, they are committing to the adhoc model rather than a model based on fairness, equality and the right to healthcare.

“It is telling too that they stated that is it difficult to see how the HSE could fulfil the legal obligations of the Bill without clarity of the additional expenditure required. That is an admittance that they are unwilling to provide the kind of resourcing required to improve access to GP care.

“This Bill was informed by extensive research conducted by the Labour Party which found substantial variances in GMS GP to population ratios across the country.

“This research took months of work to establish the ratios – the HSE in many areas had no clue how many GPs were in their own area until we asked for this data.

“That just highlights the real lack of planning when it comes to the distribution of GPs. Lower GP to population ratios have a very real impact for patients in terms of the time it takes for them to get an appointment and in getting timely access to care.

“Even more seriously, we know that GPs serving the most disadvantaged communities in Ireland encounter higher health needs among their patients.

“Our research found a stark picture in the North Inner City in Dublin where there are 3,525 people to 1 GP, and for Cabra, that is 1 GP to every 3060 people. Meanwhile, the national average is 1 GP to every 1,759. And in Meath East, that is shockingly 1 GP to every 5090 people.

“Our legislation is simply about ensuring the HSE plans for GPs to be distributed fairly across all parts of the country, and to better plan for future need in areas of population growth. That is not controversial. Today, Government has shown that they are all talk, no action. Throwing the cards up in the air and seeing where they land won’t wash anymore. People and communities need and deserve better.”

ENDS

Data: Unequal access to GP care is exacerbating inequality between our communities | Marie Sherlock TD

Bill: Sherlock to introduce bill to ensure fair access to GP care across the State. – The Labour Party