General Practice members in the Irish Medical Organisation have denounced the “lack of support” for them in Budget 2017.

Dr Padraig McGarry, Chairman of the GP Committee of the IMO, said that the budget offered nothing to “hard-pressed GPs” except an increased workload and reduced resources.

Dr McGarry said that the budget had more to say on sheep – a €25m Sheep Welfare Scheme was announced yesterday – than GPs despite what he claims the growing problems in the sector.

He said: “The shocking reality is that the welfare of sheep got more attention than the welfare of General Practice in this budget.”

Dr McGarry also said that the Government is delaying new GP contract talks “to avoid hard decisions”.

He said: “It’s not good enough for the Minister to talk about the urgency of talks on a new GP contract but continue to long-finger them.

The IMO had agreed a Memorandum Of Understanding with the Department of Health and the HSE on the items to be discussed under the contract, but all talks came to a shuddering halt with the formation of the Government.

“There can be little doubt that this is a delaying tactic to avoid putting urgently needed resources into General Practice.”