Hundreds of GPs protest at Dáil over cutbacks

Hundreds of doctors protested outside the Dáil yesterday over cutbacks that have closed general practices and forced newly qualified GPs to go abroad to work.

The National Association of General Practitioners, who staged the protest attended by around 250 GPs, said general practice was being destroyed because successive governments had refused to fund the service.

NAGP president, Dr Conor McGee, said GPs had a 40% cut in income as a result of cuts to fees and allowances since the introduction of emergency financial legislation in 2009.