Vol. 439 No. 5
191 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Health the reason the Southern Health Board is refusing to pay a Gaeltacht allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Cork whilst others in the health board's employment in the same area are in receipt of this allowance.
I have been informed by the Southern Health Board that the doctor referred to by the Deputy holds a general medical services — GMS — contract with the board to provide general practitioner services to medical card patients in the area in question. Under the terms of the GMS Agreement, doctors practising in rural or remote areas are entitled to special allowances. The Southern Health Board has indicated that the doctor referred to is in receipt of these allowances. There is no provision under the GMS Agreement for the payment of additional allowances to contract holders on the lines suggested by the Deputy.
