asked the Minister for Health the negotiations that have been held with medical interests with a view to changing the fee per item system of payment under the general medical services system; when the negotiations are expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The question of remuneration for doctors participating in the scheme is one of the matters being considered by the working party on the general medical service. I anticipate that they will submit their report to me before Easter.

Will the Minister indicate the proposals he has to change the system of paying doctors in the GMS and what saving, if any, there would be under his system?

The joint Programme for Government contained a general proposal to negotiate a change in the methods of payment for doctors in the GMS. I should like to stress that detailed negotiations with the profession are necessary for any change. The working party are considering this and other aspects of the scheme and the general medical practice in general. The central issue is the method of payment. That group will be meeting intensively in the next few weeks and I do not wish to preempt their discussions at this stage.

Will the working party be considering the manner of paying chemists for prescriptions and the way drugs are dispensed?

That does not arise.

It is a matter that will come within the general framework of any agreement. The outcome of any agreement, if we reach one, would impinge on that area.

6.

asked the Minister for Health the number of the 900 medical items which were removed by the previous Government from medical card-holders which have since been restored to the list of items available under the general medical services system.

The number of items restored is 96.

Is the Minister satisfied that the restoration of only 96 items has eliminated any possible hardship on people, particularly old people, who depend on non-medical prescriptions from doctors?

By and large, it has. In fairness, I am aware that my predecessor was subject to an enormous amount of criticism on this issue. It is amazing how an issue tends to become a major one and then suddenly dies an unnatural death. This matter is no longer an issue as far as I can see. The 96 items have been restored and about 350 were removed. It was felt that 900 were removed but they were multiple items. I am not receiving any complaints from medical card holders, including the elderly, about items not being available.

I agree that this is not the issue it was in November 1982 but, as the Minister is aware, in the first half of last year he removed a further 233 items from the list.

This appears to be a statistical question.

As the Minister stated, that decision did not result in the same amount of controversy that occurred in 1982. The Minister's predecessor, Deputy Woods, left white stomach mixtures and cough bottles on the list but the Minister in removing them caused further hardship to people with medical cards who are not in a position to buy such items.

That does not arise on the question.

It does, in my view, because they come under the 900 items mentioned. White stomach mixtures and cough bottles were not included.

The question did not request that the items be specified.

The Minister is keeping quiet.