asked the Minister for Health if he will give an estimate of the money being earned by consultants in private practice in Cork Regional Hospital.

12.

asked the Minister for Health if he has been in contact with the Southern Health Board regarding the level of private practice in Cork Regional Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

13.

asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on reports published earlier this year by the Southern Health Board stating that they are unable to keep a record of the number of patients treated privately in Cork Regional Hospital; and if he has discussed the matter with the health board.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 13, inclusive, together. Under revised eligibility arrangements introduced in 1979 all persons in the State are entitled to accommodation and treatment in a public ward of health board or public voluntary hospitals without charge. However, persons with an annual income in excess of £12,500 are liable to pay fees to their consultants. Many of those entitled to treatment without charge opt to become the private patients of consultants and so become liable to pay fees to the consultants. As the hospital does not collect the private fees of consultants or charge for the use of hospital equipment in treating private patients the Cork Regional Hospital does not at present keep records of the number of private patients treated.

That will go on the computer also.

Do the Department of Health monitor the fees that private consultants charge in such cases, or are they free to charge as they like?

I regret I do not have statutory power at present to enable me to collect information regarding such matters, particularly payments made by the VHI. I do not have statutory power. That Act was implemented in 1957. I am contemplating whether or not I should have it.

The Minister stated that everybody in the State is entitled to free maintenance in a public ward, that some of these people may opt for private treatment by a consultant and that the Cork Regional Hospital, to which this question refers, do not have a record of the people who are treated as private patients. The Minister said it was not possible to collect that information. Does he intend to get that information and what power has he to obtain such information, because it would appear to me that that would then constitute the answer to Question No 9?

I have powers to obtain full information regarding the number of persons who opt. As of now it appears I do not have power to find out the precise payment made by each person to a consultant. That is a matter of a private contract between the individual patient and the consultant. The only other source of information in that regard would be payments made by the VHI. A number of category (2) persons with income under £12,500 a year are members of the VHI and their payments would be made through that board. The information, therefore, should be available from the VHI. I do not have the information regarding payment in excess of VHI charges.

Is the Minister referring to a private contract?

Yes.

In view of the statements made, is the Minister considering a review of the common contract with consultants? Did I also detect that the Minister is considering some form of control on professional fees charged by consultants?

The House should appreciate that there is nothing to prevent a private citizen from contracting with an independent contractor — a medical consultant — to perform a medical procedure provided it is done in accordance with professional registration procedures. Therefore, there will always be an element of private practice but, where it impinges on public facilities and where such facilities are used, the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Department of Health and the health boards are entitled to full information as to what occurs and to be paid for the use of those facilities. It is within that framework that I will be reviewing the common contract.