Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 590: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will seek a revision of the current GMS scheme contract to allow general practitioners complete the driving licence medical report at no cost to clients with medical cards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28277/06]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 601: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her proposals to bring to an end the practice whereby people over 70 years of age, with medical cards, can be charged for their medical examination in regard to renewal of a driving licence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28335/06]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 634: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will designate a general practitioner in each area throughout the country to carry out free of charge the medical test required by persons over 70 renewing their drivers licences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28488/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 590, 601 and 634 together.

In making arrangements for the provision of publicly funded GP services, under the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme, an arrangement was negotiated between my Department and the GP representative body, the Irish Medical Organisation. The provisions of this agreement took the form of the current GMS GP Capitation Contract. This contract is a treatment based contract and gives effect to the statutory requirement to provide free GP medical and surgical services to eligible people which includes people aged 70 and over who are automatically entitled to a medical card. The contract stipulates that the fees paid to GMS GPs are not made in respect of certain certificates which may be required for example 'under the Social Welfare Acts or for the purposes of insurance or assurance policies or for the issue of driving licences'. As these non-treatment type services are outside the GMS GP contract it is a matter between the GP and the person seeking the particular services to agree a fee.

While certificates for driving licence applications are provided by medical practitioners they are not a medical treatment service and are not considered a core aspect of public health service provision. Requiring such services to be provided within the terms of the GMS GP contract would more than likely lead to a costly counterclaim by GPs which if allowed would not represent appropriate or best use of resources in terms of current health policy.