Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

With the Ceann Comhairle's permission and respecting his ruling on this matter, the new medical cards are intended to allow 200,000 more people visit their GP free of charge. We do not accept that this is a material change in the GMS contract. We have always accepted that details regarding operational matters would be agreed with the IMO. The legislation was enacted this month. The Government has put everything in place. The IMO could help by sitting down with the Health Service Executive and the Department and agreeing the small operational details that are involved. I understand the only difference from a doctor's point of view is that they will be signing a different form. In every other respect it is the same procedure regarding their existing arrangements. There is no extra workload involved. The Government has made the decision, as we are entitled to do, to provide for an additional 200,000 doctor only medical cards for these people and it is incumbent on everyone to sit down and ensure the operational details are put in place immediately.

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