Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 207: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, where general practitioners have entered into a co-operative agreement to deal with after hours calls from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. and cover for weekends, it is mandatory that the general practitioner on cover or call attends persons who, while on holiday or visiting the region where the agreement is in place, take ill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6432/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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General practitioners who hold general medical services scheme contracts for service with the Health Service Executive undertake to provide general practitioner services for their assigned patients for a total of 40 hours to cover surgery and domiciliary visits on five or more days per week as agreed with the executive. They are also obliged to put in place arrangements that enable contact to be made with them or a deputy or locum for emergencies outside these times. Their contract also includes a requirement to treat eligible persons temporarily resident in their area or visitors to Ireland covered under EU regulations.

To fulfil their out-of-hours commitment as specified in the general medical services scheme contract, general practitioners may choose to participate in co-operative arrangements where cover is provided for attendance on the patients of the participating general practitioners.