Doctors pay award threatened by medical card row

TÁNAISTE Mary Harney yesterday warned doctors would forgo benchmarking payments if the new, doctor-only medical cards are not issued.

“There is no question of that being paid if these cards can’t issue,” she said.

Ms Harney hit out at the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) over its failure to reach an agreement with the Government on the roll-out of the cards. She was highly disappointed the cards, announced in last year’s budget, had not been issued and raised the possibility of alternatives.