Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

However, the proposal would mean changing the way in which tax relief is administered, regardless of the reasons for which a person ends up getting the additional treatment. If we do not have some kind of gatekeeper in place, as we do now, since a patient can only get relief if he is referred by a GP, my concern is that we could end up with a considerable escalation in cost. Thus, the debate I am having with Deputy McGrath on physiotherapists could end up being applied by people who might seek acupuncture or other forms of medical relief but who might not do it without having to go to a GP first.