Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a medical card holder who requires a certificate to apply for a driving licence is required to pay the general practitioner for this documentation. [40102/10]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a person over 70 years of age who holds a medical card is required to pay their general practitioner for some services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40105/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 263 together.

A medical card as issued by the Health Service Executive (HSE), confirms that the holder is entitled, free of charge, to a range of health services, which includes:

General medical and surgical services including all in-patient services and out-patient services in a public ward in a public hospital (including consultant services);

A choice of general practitioners (GP) from those doctors who have a General Medical Services (GMS) contract with the HSE;

Supply of prescribed approved medicines and appliances; and

Dental, Ophthalmic and Aural services

GPs who hold GMS contracts with the HSE must not seek or accept money from medical card or GP visit card holders.

The contract between the HSE and GPs under the GMS Scheme stipulates that fees are not paid to GPs by the HSE in respect of certain medical 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".

Consultation fees charged by GPs to GMS patients outside the terms of the GMS contract 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 general practitioners 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.