Mr. John Hennessy:

I think the last published figures were for 2013. The question about charging for bloods and phlebotomy was raised by Deputy Seamus Healy. We are all aware of that problem. There are general practitioners out there who are charging medical card holders. Our position on it is pretty clear. We believe it is not permitted under the contract and is not an appropriate way for general practitioners to deal with the issues and concerns they have. We have written to all general practitioners, I think twice in the last two years, to remind them that they are not permitted to charge medical card holders under any circumstances. Where clients and patients have brought this to our attention, we have refunded them and, in turn, withheld the amounts from the future payments due to those particular general practitioners. It is a matter with which we are dealing under the negotiation process for the contract review with the IMO under the framework agreement. It is not something I think is appropriate in terms of an approach to negotiating a new contract. I say that with particular reference to the fact that medical card holders are the most disadvantaged sector of the community. It is not at all appropriate that they would be charged. We can remind general practitioners again of their obligations under the contract in that matter.