Bernard Allen
Question:278 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health the way in which he proposes to introduce the new free hospitalisation scheme without the agreement of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association.
Written Answers. - Public Hospital Services Eligibility.
The new eligibility arrangements have been agreed by Government and the social partners in the context of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, and are designed to improve equity of access to public hospital services by removing those elements of the present arrangements which may, in practice, be unfair to the public patient.
The effects of the new arrangements on the agreement with the medical profession which forms the basis of the current contract are being discussed in the context of the negotiations to revise the existing contract in the light of the Gleeson recommendations. Since the publication of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, discussions have continued with the Irish Medical Organisation while the Irish Hospital Consultants Association have also resumed participation in the negotiations.