asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism if he intends instituting any control on increases in professional fees.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Professional Fees.
1.
The position is that professional fees fall within the scope of the Prices Acts. Under the Prices and Charges (Notification of Increases) Order, 1979, any person proposing to increase the charge for a service rendered by him is required to give two months advance notice of the proposed increase to the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism.
The Minister will probably have seen a recent complaint by the VHI of the very exorbitant charges of consultants in certain cases, not in all cases. Does the Minister believe that his prices control mechanism works with people like consultants, barristers, dentists and occasionally doctors as well? Does he think it really works and is effective because it affects a very important part of all our lives?
I have given the Deputy the legal position. If we are to go on the amount of complaints we receive, it would appear that it is working effectively, because they are very few.
2.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism whether doctor's fees for writing prescriptions for contraceptives are subject to price control.
I understand that under the provisions of section 4(2) of the Health (Family Planning) Act, 1979 a registered medical practitioner may give a prescription or authorisation for a contraceptive when providing a service in accordance with the terms of that section. The fees for such services are subject to price control.
I am assuming that contraceptives will be subject to price control. Will they? The Minister referred to the services but he did not refer to the contraceptives themselves, did he?
I said that a registered medical practitioner may give a prescription or authorisation for a contraceptive when providing a service in accordance with the terms of that section of the Act I have mentioned. The fees for such services are subject to price control.