Fiona O'Malley (Dún Laoghaire, Progressive Democrats)

The IMO and the GPs in particular showed there was some issue in play other than patient care in their stand on that matter and that is regrettable. Thankfully the agreement is now in place.

Some of us who are members of the Joint Committee on Health and Children attended the GP-IMO conference in Croke Park recently. A delegate castigated the Government for having introduced a system whereby those over 70 who had not previously held a medical card were now in possession of what is described as a golden medical card worth four times the amount to a GP. It has caused problems in the service. The GP in question wanted me to answer for it. I pointed out to him that this was not Government policy but it was a question of their union deciding that they would not deliver this service and that they would demand more money to provide that service. We all acknowledge the disruption that has been caused in the placing of GPs certainly in Dublin city — I am not sure about other parts of the country. My area is well enough served but I know there are large areas in north and——

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