I note the Minister is here. As the House knows, there is an urgent need to address the issue of GP access across Ireland. Last night, I spoke on the Critical Infrastructure Bill. We need to view GP care as critical infrastructure in its way and incentivise its creation and extension. I see this in my area of Kildare North, which is one of the hardest places in Ireland in which to get a GP, where people move into the county from other areas and are stuck using the GP from those areas before they can access new ones in north Kildare. I have met doctors in my constituency who want to extend their practices and others who want to set up new practices, but we need to make it financially feasible. In the upcoming budget, will the Government put in place a refundable tax credit for a significant percentage of set-up costs or extension costs for premises fit-out, medical equipment and digital systems to assist in setting up and extending GP services?

Sentiment score: 0.11

Shocking.

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