Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the payments from her Department to general practitioners in respect of the medical card scheme and practice support payments, by GP on county basis. [42281/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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In 2006, total health funding is €13.147 billion, which represents an underlying increase of 12.04% over 2005. The vast bulk of this funding is provided under the vote of the Health Service Executive (HSE) which has statutory responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services. This continuing high level of investment by the Government provides the Executive with considerable capacity to address the healthcare needs of the population in the most effective manner.

As the Health Service Executive has the operational and funding responsibility for payments to GPs in respect of the medical card scheme and practice support, it is the appropriate body to provide the information sought by the Deputy. My Department has therefore requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to address this matter and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.