Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 500: To ask the Minister for Health the financial cost to the Health Service Executive of equipment supplied to general practitioners for blood sampling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12183/12]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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I believe the Deputy is referring to general items used in taking blood samples such as packaging, etc. The information sought by the Deputy is not routinely available, however, the HSE have advised my Department that the estimated costs of providing GPs with packaging and primary/secondary containers used in taking blood samples in primary care is between €5.5m and €6m annually. I should stress that this is an estimated cost as actual costs are not readily available.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 501: To ask the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive subsidises practice nurses in general practitioners' surgeries; if so, the financial cost to the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12184/12]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Under the General Medical Services (GMS) Contract, provision is made for the payment of subsidies towards the cost of employing practice nurses, secretaries and managers. The current rates of payments are set out in the Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to General Practitioners) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 638/2010). The current annual nursing subsidy ranges from €31,258.45 for a nurse with 1 year's experience, up to €38,204.77 for a nurse with 4 or more year's experience.

Fees and allowances paid to General Practitioners (GPs) under the General Medical Services Scheme, the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme, the Health (Amendment) Act 1996 (Hepatitis C patients) and the HeartWatch Programme amounted to some €465m in 2010. This includes secretarial/nursing allowances of €80.6m.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 502: To ask the Minister for Health the total cost from 2009 to 2011 for the laboratory testing of blood including the breakdown of blood testing for general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12185/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 503: To ask the Minister for Health the amount general practitioners are paying towards the provision of equipment and testing of blood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12186/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy's question relates to service delivery matters and accordingly I have asked the HSE to respond directly to him.