Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, GPs are reimbursed for a range of services they provide to medical card and GP visit card holders. GPs are remunerated for these services primarily on a capitation basis, with a range of additional support payments and fees for specific items of service. GPs are also remunerated for services they provide on behalf of the HSE under other public health schemes, such as the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme, Primary Childhood Immunisation Scheme, etc.

The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2009 imposed a range of adjustments to health contractor payments. These included different levels of reductions to various GP fees and allowances and the elimination of certain payments, resulting in savings of approximately €120 million per annum.

Despite reductions to the payment rates of health contractors made under FEMPI legislation, the total fees paid to GPs under the GMS scheme have increased from just over €472 million in 2009 to approximately €525 million in 2017. This increase in fees is largely due to significant developments and investment in GP services introduced in recent years, with more services being made available to our citizens and additional financial support provided by the HSE.

The Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 now allows the setting and varying of contractor payments on a non-emergency statutory basis. It is my intention to put in place a new multiannual approach to fees in return for service improvements and contractual reforms based upon health policy considerations and engagement with representative bodies.

Officials from my Department and the HSE are currently engaged in talks with the Irish Medical Organisation in relation to the reform and modernisation of the GMS contract. Agreement on the delivery of service improvements and contractual reform has the potential to facilitate a substantial increase in the resourcing of general practice on a multiannual basis. Of course, any agreement must benefit patients an provide value for the taxpayer.

In line with the long-established approach to such processes, and by agreement of the parties concerned, I am not in a position to give further details while engagement between the parties is underway.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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187. To ask the Minister for Health the reason an organisation (details supplied) is not included in negotiations on a new deal for general practitioners regarding the reversal of FEMPI and other matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7594/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to engaging with GP representatives on the development of modernised contractual arrangements.

Talks between the Department of Health, HSE and the IMO are ongoing. Historically, the IMO has been the main representative body for GPs and the only one involved in contractual processes. It negotiated the existing 1972 and 1989 GP contract arrangements with the Department of Health.

While some progress has been made in the current phase of talks, there are a number of outstanding issues that need to be addressed. The introduction of an other organisation into the process at this stage would likely prolong and complicate negotiations and may make an agreed outcome less likely.

Agreement on the delivery of a range of service improvements and contractual reforms has the potential to facilitate a very substantial increase in the resourcing of general practice on a multi-annual basis.