Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the anticipated income from the statutory inpatient charge and the statutory outpatient charge to date in 2010; if she will provide a breakdown of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19906/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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As set out in the Health Service Executive National Service Plan 2010, anticipated income from the statutory in patient and out patient charge is budgeted at €216m and €32m respectively. The out patient charge refers to the €100 which is payable by people who attend A&E departments without a referral letter from a GP. Medical card holders do not pay this charge.

The Executive has responsibility for collection of these charges and my Department does not routinely collect information on income raised to date. Accordingly my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the HSE to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy on this matter. I wish to advise the Deputy that, due to an intensification of industrial action in the public service by members of IMPACT, the HSE may not be in a position to provide a response to this Parliamentary Question at this time. However, if the issue remains of continuing concern you are invited to raise the matter again in due course.