asked the Minister for Health the reason only general practitioners with General Medical Services lists of 500 or more will be entitled to 14 weeks maternity leave in the proposed new scheme of payments for General Medical Services, while general practitioners with lists of only 100 or more will be entitled to both sick leave and study leave; the reason the same cut-off limit does not apply to maternity leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - General Practitioners Entitlements.
63.
As part of the on-going negotiations between management and the Irish Medical Organisation on a new form of agreement for doctors in the GMS, discussions took place regarding the establishment of appropriate criteria for entitlement to benefit under the proposed schemes for annual, sick, maternity and study leave. Mr. John Horgan, who chaired the discussions, made recommendations on the matter of leave as a whole and these were acceptable to both parties to the negotiations. They have, accordingly, now been accepted as part of the new GMS arrangements. Mr. Horgan's proposals did not include a specific rational for the leave provisions which he recommended.