The Iveragh Taskforce is asking for a face-to-face meeting with the Health Minister about a current shortage of GPs in the area.
It follows a meeting of a sub-committee of the Taskforce last Friday, in which local representatives were updated on the situation.
Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Cahill described the situation as a crisis, and called for emergency measures by the HSE to address it.
Cllr Cahill says there are only three GPs or local doctors serving the entire South Kerry/Iveragh area at present, with another due to retire in May this year.
He says a vacancy which occurred last May has not been filled, and this is a crisis of gigantic proportions for a peninsula with a population of 8,500.
Cork Kerry Community Healthcare told Radio Kerry that Cahersiveen is currently one of its vacancies for GPs, and it does not underestimate the challenge in recruiting for this position.
It says it will continue every effort to ensure it raises the profile of those vacancies to ensure it attracts a field of qualified candidates.
Cork Kerry Community Healthcare says while the work of filling that vacancy is underway, the delivery of a safe, quality, and accessible GP service will continue as an equivalent priority.
The HSE’s system of recruitment means it will take over the vacant post and pay for locum GP cover, if the position is not filled after five rounds of recruitment.
Fianna Fáil councillor Norma Moriarty, who’s on the Taskforce, says more financial support for a permanent GP, rather than locum cover, would be more beneficial to the area.
