'Rural areas need more GPs' says General Election candidate for Tipperary South

The need for more healthcare services for people living in rural Ireland came up while Independent General Election candidate Mattie McGrath was out canvassing around Tipperary the week before the election.

While following McGrath's canvassing team we passed the small doctors clinic in the village of Dundrum.

The issue of not enough GPs to provide services for everyone living in the area came up. A local said “We need more doctors before more people are moved here.”

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Recently we see that GPs are closed to new patients because doctors are overworked. Locals in Dundrum said this small doctors practise within the town had all staff working hard to try and meet the demands of so many patients for a small practice.

McGrath had previously submitted a plan for the 2025 budget,  along with other independent TDs Michael Healy-Rae, Carol Nolan and Danny Healy-Rae, where a lack of healthcare services in rural villages were highlighted. 

In particular, rural villages in Ireland are suffering the most from a lack of access to healthcare services in these areas, the submission said.

"We need a strategic increase in the healthcare workforce, particularly in rural areas where the shortage of GPs and dentists is acute." says McGrath.

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