GPs 'Fight Back' Over EC Pricing Criticism

Doctors have been forced to defend their prices after members of the European Troika group said that GPs in Ireland are charging 'over the odds' for their services in comparison to other EU countries.

The trio - the European Union (EU), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Central Bank (ECB) - who 'bailed' Ireland out during the financial downturn - have said some professions such as GPs are charging double the amount for their services, compared to other wealthy EU states.

Doctors have hit back at the Troika; they say that the charges cover the wages of other members of staff.

Ilona Duffy, a GP based in Monaghan, said: "Anyone who is a GP in Ireland knows that it is not just a GP in the practice, there will be a GP nurse, there will be secretaries, receptionists.

"In Belgium, for example, we know that a majority of GPs actually work single-handedly, thay have no staff.

"They work answering their own phones in the middle of a consultation and they have no nurses. This means that what they do is a lot different to what we do, and for that reason alone we are not comparing like with like."

Meanwhile it has been revealed that Ireland is 'on track' in terms of the savings and making repayments under the EU bailout scheme.

The Government has successfully concluded its third successive quarterly programme review mission with the EU Commission, the ECB and the IMF.

Following this they have said that the Programme is on track and Ireland is making substantial progress in all the key areas.

While the restructuring of the banking sector is said to be yielding significant savings on the capital to be invested by the taxpayer.

Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said he's determined to make more "tough decisions" and deliver more austerity.

(LB/BMcC)