I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 271 together.
The necessary legislation to allow members of the public to apply for the new "doctor visit" cards has been enacted. Funding of €50 million required to introduce this development in 2005 has been made available to the Health Service Executive. The objective of this measure is to use resources to benefit as many people on low incomes as possible, in particular families, in order to take away any worries that parents may have about the cost of bringing their children to the doctor.
The services which general practitioners will provide to people who qualify for the "doctor visit" card will be the same as those provided to people who presently hold medical cards. Therefore, there will be no change in the provisions of the current general medical services general practitioner contract. The Health Service Executive has put in place the necessary administrative arrangements for this measure and has offered to meet with the Irish Medical Organisation on these arrangements on a number of occasions, and it remains available.