Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand it is something that has started recently. I was first informed about it in June or July. It appears to be something that is emerging in certain hospitals and is driven by the management of those hospitals. I agree that venesection can be carried out in the primary care setting. That will be great in the future but currently patients are being charged for it in certain hospitals and they were not charged for it in the past. I hear that the patients are lengthening the time between their treatments and, as a result, will potentially cost the health service more in the long run because of complications. It is something that should be urgently addressed. It is a little late if it results in admissions.