Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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729. To ask the Minister for Health the changes have been made to the fees payable to general practitioners under the financial emergency measures in the public interest; the percentage reduction this equates to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32823/14]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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735. To ask the Minister for Health if general practitioners capitation fees will be reduced under the financial emergency measures in the public interest; if a fee based on the number of patients consultations will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32833/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 729 and 735 together.

Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs receive a range of fees and allowances, including an annual capitation payment in respect of each medical card and GP visit card patient on their GMS list. Under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2009, an 8% reduction in a range of fees and allowances payable to GPs was introduced in 2009, which effected full year savings in the region of €34 million. Further reductions to a range of GP fees and allowances were introduced in 2010, which effected full year savings in the region of €44 million. This equated to an approximate additional reduction of 9%.

In 2013 the Minister for Health decided to apply further reductions to the fees and allowances payable to GPs. This equated to an overall reduction of 7.5%, amounting to a saving of some €38 million in a full year. The current rates of payment are set out in the following regulations:

S.I. 277/2013 - Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to General Practitioners) Regulations 2013;

S.I. 278/2013 - Health Professionals (Reduction of Payments to General Practitioners) (National Immunisation Programmes) Regulations 2013, both of which came into effect on 24 July 2013.

Under the FEMPI legislation, the Minister for Health is required to carry out a review of the operation, effectiveness and impact of the amounts and rates fixed under the regulations each year. A review took place in June and it was decided that the reduced fees provided for in the FEMPI regulations should be maintained in place. The regulations will be reviewed again in 2015 and a decision will be taken at that time regarding maintaining, restoring or further reducing fees.