General Practitioner services in many parts of the country are set to be affected or closed on Wednesday, due to a national protest by family doctors in Dublin.

Hundreds of GPs will take to the streets at 2.00pm to protest "the way the Government is treating sick and vulnerable patients".

They will congregate on Kildare Street and Molesworth Street, potentially causing traffic disruption.

Dr Andrew Jordan is chairman of the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP): "This is the only way we can highlight to the Government that General Practice is dying".

The NAGP has said 50% of GP practices are in debt trying to keep going.

"There are now entire communities where GPs have retired and not been replaced - there are not enough GPs to handle the demand", it said.

"Young, newly trained GPs are emigrating and there is no one to replace older GPs.

"General Practice in Ireland is literally dying because it is not being properly resourced.

"Government funding for primary care was cut in 2010 (FEMPI) and never restored."

It said Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) has seen 38% in cuts in resources to General Practice over the last decade.

Dr Maitiú O Tuathail, NAGP president, added: "There are currently 26 communities without General Practitioners across this country.

"With 700 GPs about to retire in the next four to five years, and newly qualified GPs choosing Dubai over Dublin, many more communities will be left without a GP"

"The neglect of General Practice by this Government will lead to its extinction".

The association has called for FEMPI cuts from 2010 to be restored to GPs and a continued program of investment in GP and primary care over the next 10 years to enable essential reform and develop integrated care.