Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 132: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her plans to put out of hours services in other areas out to tender, following her decision to put the out of hours services in north Dublin out to tender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28906/05]

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 170: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if tenders for the out of hours services in north Dublin affect the GMS contract with general practitioners. [28933/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 170 together.

The Deputies' questions relate to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive, HSE, under the Health Act 2004. The terms of the current general medical service GP contracts which are held with the HSE require GPs to provide services for 40 hours each week and to put in place suitable arrangements to allow public patients access to services outside of these hours for urgent cases. Such arrangements are a matter between the HSE and the individual contractor.

The provision of more general practitioner out of hours services is an important element of the ten point plan for accident and emergency services. The decision of the HSE to engage in a public procurement process to put in place arrangements intended to complement and enhance existing out of hours GP services for the north Dublin area has my support. The HSE has indicated to me that its experience in putting this additional service in place will inform future decisions about meeting service needs.