Figures reveal HSE spent €540m on GP fees and allowances in 2016
The HSE has paid over €540m to GP practices and out of hour services in fees and allowances last year, for treating medical card patients and providing services for other State health schemes.
RTÉ have reported that around 2,900 GPs were paid over €186,000 each.
The figures obtained by RTÉ under the Freedom of Information Act are not doctors salaries but are gross payments made to doctors out of which they pay staff and practice expenses.
The figures also exclude any private income doctors may have earned from treating patients.
A sum of €500,000 was paid out to over 40 GP practices and out of hour GP services with Carlow/Kilkenny care-doc being the highest paid GP co-op at €3.3m.
Minister for Health, Simon Harris told RTÉ that fees are provided to doctors in order to provide services to patients within communities.
He said fees were agreed through negotiations between the government and GPs and that the government was in the process of introducing a new GP contract.
Commenting on the price paid out to GPs, Mr Harris said the cost of shifting services out of hospitals and into communities came at a price but believed the money was very well spent.
Chairman of the National Association of GPs, Dr Andy Moran was the highest paid named doctor with his Dublin South West practice earning over €952,000 last year.
Here is a list that follows Dr Moran:
- Dr Andrew Coady, Dublin South West, €791,273;
- Dr Austin O' Carroll, North West Dublin, €789,115;
- Dr Catherine Coleman, North West Dublin, €760,827;
- Dr William Twomey, Dublin South West, €737,706;
- Dr Michael Casey, Galway, €644,027;
- Dr Anthony Crosby, North Dublin, €643,660;
- Dr Thomas Molloy, North Cork, €623,751;
- Dr Donal Coffey, Kerry, €623,302;
- Dr Dermot Nolan, Waterford, €608,398.
RTÉ also obtained details of well-known doctor's practices in the gross figures list from the HSE:
- Fianna Fáil Senator Dr Keith Swanick, Mayo, €472,010;
- Former Irish Medical Organisation president & GP leader Dr Martin Daly, Galway, €394,675;
- Current GP leader of the Irish Medical Organisation Dr Padraig McGarry, Longford-Westmeath, €352,630;
- Former Irish Medical Organisation president & GP leader, Dr Ray Walley, Dublin North Central, €349,314;
- Independent TD Dr Michael Harty, Clare, €274,827.
