Vol. 531 No. 3
222 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 119 of 15 February 2001, he will outline the proposals he has to carry out an informal investigation into the variation in fees charged by medical general practitioners to private patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5467/01]
I stated in my reply of 15 February 2001, the reasons it is not proposed formally to investigate variations in fees charged by general practitioners to private patients. Any investigation into this area would have to be formal rather than informal. That was why my reply of that date referred to a formal investigation. It was not intended to indicate or suggest that an informal investigation was contemplated or possible. I do not have a function in the setting of fees by general practitioners for services provided to private patients. The general practitioner has discretion.
