Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming before the House. My question relates to patient safety, clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness and the evaluation of telecommunications, in other words, GPs using telecommunications for giving one-to-one advice over the Internet. What regulation exists on this and how are we going to develop this area, which would be of benefit to GPs, especially in rural areas where patients would be able to access doctors without having to travel long distances to meet them? We talk about developing primary care centres where there would be a far bigger number of GPs working, but they would be a greater distance from many people in rural areas. It is in that context that I raise this matter. It is important that we roll this out and regulate it properly to ensure that it works and patients are safe. As I understand it, there is nothing to prevent someone from starting such a service under the current legislation.