The Irish College of GPs has warned a fifth of doctors are due to retire within the next five years.
It's told an Oireachtas committee the current numbers aren't adequate to meet the growing needs of patients.
Cork GP Dr Diarmuid Quinlan from the ICGP says general practice is facing significant shortages:
"We need a sustained and substantial investment to meet the needs. The HSE predicts a shortage of at least 1000s and possibly in excess of 1600 GPS by 2028. This is underlined by the fact that our population is growing and recently exceeded 5 million. We have a very substantial and very welcome increase in people aged over 65 and almost a doubling of people aged 85 and over by 2025."
