Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This provides me with a good opportunity to address that issue. Under existing contractual arrangements, where it is necessary for blood samples to be taken as part of the normal diagnostic process, the patient should not be charged. That may not be sufficiently clear in the contract, which means that the new contract we want to agree with general practitioners will provide an opportunity for us to make crystal clear the circumstances that apply in the taking of blood samles.

More broadly, Deputy Seamus Healy asked what services would be available. In January we published a draft contract. It is probably fair to say it is not something that found universal favour with doctors, but it sets out what the HSE believes should be the range of services provided under the new contract. "It will be dealt with in the new contract," is the answer to the Deputy's question. We will seek to reach an agreement with doctors on the services the HSE wishes to see provided under the new contract for which they will be paid a fee.