Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 94: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress in coming to an agreement with chiropodists in order that patients with medical cards are not charged for previously free services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3702/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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While the Health Service Executive, HSE, has no statutory obligation to provide chiropody services to GMS patients, in practice arrangements are made to provide these services. Before the establishment of the HSE the nature of the arrangements for chiropody and the level of service provided was a matter for individual health boards and so a degree of variation in practice developed over time. Priority is usually given to certain groups of people, including people who are medical card holders aged 65 years and over. In several regions the service is provided by private chiropodists by arrangement with the HSE.

I consider it inappropriate for private chiropodists who are providing services on behalf of the HSE to charge patients a top-up fee and I have conveyed this view formally to the HSE. The Department of Health and Children requested the HSE to initiate a review of the fee arrangements in place for the provision of chiropody services, with a view to ensuring that such additional fees will no longer be levied on persons in receipt of this service. The HSE has recently advised me that it has initiated a review of chiropody services.