asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the £10 out-patient's charge is now being levied against persons attending private hospitals attached to public hospitals in some instances; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The once-off charge under the Health (Out-Patient Charges) Regulations, 1987, applies to persons who avail of out-patient services in public hospitals and are not otherwise exempt from the charge. Persons while attending a private hospital who receive out-patient services in a public hospital as part of their treatment may similarly be liable for a charge under the regulations in respect of any such out-patient services received. As the Deputy is aware the regulations do not apply in respect of services exclusively provided by private hospitals.

Is the Minister aware that in one particular case which came to my attention a patient attending a private hospital, where the consultant used the facilities of a public hospital, was charged the £10?

I am not obviously aware of individual cases.

Is the Minister saying that that is inaccurate and that it should not happen?

What I am saying — and I have already said it in my reply — is that where the services of a public hospital are used, even though the patient may be a private patient in a private hospital——

I want to get to the bottom of this. Why should a patient be asked to pay for facilities used by a consultant who is charging the patient an all-in-charge? If the consultant is using the facilities of a public hospital it is the consultant who should pay the hospital and not the patient who, in addition to paying the consultant's fee, now has to pay £10 when he has no connection whatsoever with a public hospital. Because the consultant sends a specimen for testing, the patient who is attending and paying the consultant has to pay the £10 out-patients charge. That is outrageous.

My understanding is that in one particular hospital in this city certain services are not available in the private hospital, that such services are provided in the public hospital, and therefore in this case the patient is obliged under the regulations to pay the £10 charge.

We now proceed to questions nominated for priority, No. 50 please.