Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 4 Dec 1991

Vol. 414 No. 1

Written Answers. - Army Medical Practitioners.

Andrew Boylan

Ceist:

27 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Defence if he will communicate with the Minister for Health in relation to the fact that medical practitioners who serve in the Army, are being discriminated against when they subsequently apply for acceptance into the GMS by most health boards in so far as their years of medical service in the Defence Forces are not accepted as part of the five years general practice required; and if he will strive to ensure that this discriminatory practice will end.

Minister for Defence (Mr. V. Brady)

I would refer the Deputy to my reply by my colleague, the Minister for Health, to Question No. 154 on 19 November 1991, which outlined the different means by which general practitioners may be granted entry to the GMS scheme. In that regard I understand that the arrangements governing entry to the scheme by doctors who have at least five years service in whole-time general practice have been the subject of negotiations and agreement between successive Ministers for Health and the Irish Medical Organisation since the inception of the scheme. It is open to former and serving Army doctors through their membership of the Irish Medical Organisation to pursue any claim they may wish to make to bring about changes in these arrangements. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in the matter.