Vol. 510 No. 4
141 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the vaccine costs for medical card holders; if general practitioners are allowed to charge card holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22869/99]
Discussions have been held between the Health Service Employers' Agency and the Irish Medical Organisation as to the arrangements which should apply to the provision of the influenza vaccine to general medical service patients. However, there remains disagreement between the parties on this issue. At a meeting on 7 October, the Health Service Employers' Agency, recognising that there are issues between the parties regarding administration of the influenza vaccine, and in order to resolve this dispute without delay, proposed that the issues be referred to an independent third party for adjudication. This offer was declined by the Irish Medical Organisation.
I welcome the statement by the IMO that, notwithstanding the dispute regarding administration of the influenza vaccine, it has advised its members to provide the vaccine to the at-risk groups in the GMS free of charge.
I remain hopeful that it will be possible to reach agreement on this issue and I hope that the Irish Medical Organisation will reconsider the offer made by the Health Service Employers' Agency of referral of the issues in dispute to an independent third party.
