The government should do whatever is required to keep rural GP practices operating and attractive, according to local councillor Noel Coonan.
The Templemore based councillor was speaking on Tipp Mid West Radio this morning about a recent HSE recruitment campaign which saw a GP post with a GMS contract for the town advertised for the fourth time in 15 months.
Cllr Coonan says there is a worrying trend of GP posts in rural areas being left vacant and that greater incentives should be offered to ensure the posts were filled.
He noted that insurance claims, red tape for doctors qualifying outside Ireland trying to establish a GP practice and the desire to have a better resourced practice were all issues that government needed to address.
