Vol. 539 No. 1
268 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on recent comments made by the Irish College of General Practitioners that it has now become impossible to fill general practitioner places on Government and health board task forces and steering groups due to the large number of these bodies established by the Minister and health board administrators. [18883/01]
I am aware of the recent comments made by the Irish College of General Practitioners on this matter. Indeed, this is one of the matters referred to in the joint vision statement on the future development of general practice prepared by the college and the Irish Medical Organisation.
I consider it very important that there should be appropriate general practitioner representation on all relevant public task forces, working groups and other bodies. For that reason, this is an issue that will be fully addressed in the consultative process stage of the major primary care review now under way. The consultative process stage will commence shortly.
