Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 611: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans and actions to deal with high general practitioner and dental costs for patients. [32200/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Consultation fees charged to private patients by general practitioners, consultants and dentists are a matter of private contract between the clinicians and the patients. While I have no role in relation to such fees, I would expect clinicians to have regard to the overall economic situation in setting their fees. My colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation has also called on providers of professional services in the private sector to adjust their fees in line with the reductions in fees of those providing such services in the public sector. I should add that General Practitioners who hold General Medical Services contracts with the Health Service Executive must not seek or accept money from medical card or GP visit card holders in respect of routine treatment.

With regard to dental costs, the Competition Authority's report on dental services in 2007 made a number of recommendations that should encourage greater competition and better value for consumers. Some of its recommendations are already being implemented, while others will be addressed in the forthcoming National Oral Health Policy.