Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 269: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will consider the needs of diabetics; if proper primary care through the general practitioners with early diagnosis will minimise the time spent in hospital; her views on whether they should have free doctors care as well as the medication which is already available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22695/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Persons who suffer from diabetes are covered under the long-term illness scheme for the provision of all approved prescribed medicines for the treatment of that disease, free of charge. I have no plans to change the conditions of the long-term illness scheme to include the provision of general practitioner services free of charge, to persons who suffer from diabetes.

There is strong evidence that early diagnosis of diabetes and proper management by a multidisciplinary team, including general practitioners, improves the health of diabetics and postpones the onset of serious eye, kidney and cardiovascular complications. These complications such as blindness, coronary artery disease, kidney failure and amputations ordinarily have to be managed in hospital.

As the Deputy is aware, in 2005, additional funding of €60 million has been provided to allow the Health Service Executive provide an additional 30,000 people with full medical cards and to extend free access to general practitioner services under the general medical services (GMS) scheme to up to a further 200,000 persons. The reason for this initiative was to ensure that as many people as possible, particularly those on low income and with children, would be free from the worry of costs associated with accessing general practitioner services for themselves and their children.