Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Nov 2003

Vol. 574 No. 5

Written Answers. - Medical Cards.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

97 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the situation whereby the Irish Family Planning Association has been forced to withdraw services to medical card holders attending its Cathal Brugha Street clinic in Dublin; his views on whether family planning services is an integral part of primary care services; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some family planning service providers which receive health board funding for the provision of services to medical card holders are obliged to manage the delivery of their services through limiting appointments to medical card holders in order to work within a budget; his views on whether this management of medical card clients is contrary to equality of access and choice in primary care, that is, family planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27577/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Each health board is obliged to ensure that an equitable, accessible and comprehensive family planning service is provided in its area. The Department issued guidelines to the health boards in 1995 on the provision of family planning services to all persons in their area who need such services. These services are provided primarily through general practitioners, non-governmental organisations and, to some extent, maternity hospitals-units. Significant additional funding, €5.73 million, was provided for the development of family planning and pregnancy counselling services between 1999 and 2002.

I understand that in August 2000, the Northern Area Health Board, in partnership with the Irish Family Planning Association, initiated a family planning-women's health service at the Irish Family Planning Association's premises in Cathal Brugha Street. The services provided are complementary to those available to medical card holders through their own general practitioner and they are intended to provide an element of choice for medical card holders in the area of reproductive health.

In 2003, a budget of €140,000 was made available to the Irish Family Planning Association for the provision of services to medical cardholders. This represented an increase of 10% on the previous year's allocation. The Irish Family Planning Association was asked to take appropriate steps to manage the delivery of services within its allocation, but failed to do so, and has suspended ser vices to medical cardholders with effect from 13 October 2003.

I am advised that officials from the Northern Area Health Board will shortly be meeting the management of the IFPA to review the situation. Medical card holders in the area are still entitled to access reproductive health services through their general practitioners.