asked the Minister for Health if he intends nominating a fixed fee for the writing by general practitioners of prescriptions for contraceptives.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Contraceptive Prescription Fees.
20.
I have no power to fix the fee to be charged by general practitioners in private practice for writing prescriptions for contraceptives.
Is this an impediment against a readily available family planning service in the community which was the alleged intention of the Family Planning Bill?
In relation to medical card holders, if a general medical practitioner under the general medical services scheme writes a prescription for a patient, however reluctant he may be to so do, for so called artificial contraceptives, say a packet of condoms, will the Minister pay the doctor a fee for writing the prescription which will be carried to the local chemist?
Did the Minister not hear the bomb ticking when he was handed over the job as Minister for Health?
If the prescription is in line with the family planning advice the consultation fee will be covered.
If a patient presents himself in a surgery and says to a general medical practitioner operating under the GMS scheme that he is a medical card holder and wants a prescription to purchase a packet of condoms, will the Minister pay the doctor a consultation fee and a prescription authorisation fee?
That does not arise under this question by any stretch of the imagination. I have already given the Deputy an answer. If the Deputy wishes to put down further questions I will be happy to answer them.
I do not wish to do so as I do not want to provide another rich source of material for a play by Hugh Leonard. He has enough material to work on already.
The question refers to fees for the writing by general practitioners of prescriptions for contraceptives.
Is the Minister aware that according to a recent Sunday newspaper report half of the families in the country are not within reach of a pharmacy or doctor who would for any fee write this kind of prescription?
Does the Minister know that the scheme is not working and cannot work?
Does the Minister not regard that as a greater problem?
The scheme went into operation on 1 November and we will assess its progress as it develops.
An Irish solution to an Irish problem but the solution is getting a bit tricky now.