GPs have again called on Minister for Primary Care Alex White to set aside the controversial draft GP contract for the operation of the planned free GP care scheme for children under six.

The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), at a meeting with Minister White earlier this week, said the contract should be discarded and replaced by a 'real plan on how to structure and resource a new vision for primary care'.

Feelings are running high among GPs at what they regard as a hostile and excessively bureaucratic draft contract. Minister White was heckled when he addressed an ICGP meeting in Clonmel last weekend.

The ICGP said the current 'dismay and frustration' felt by GPs could have been avoided had the Government consulted with GP organisations prior to presenting the contract document.

Both Minister White and his senior Minister, James Reilly, have said that the draft contract can be changed in talks with GP organisations.

A major sticking point, however, is that the Government says it is precluded by competition law from directly negotiating on fees under the contract with the GPs' union, the IMO.

It says GPs can make submissions on fees, but the final decision on fee levels will be made by the Minister for Health.

The IMO has warned that there must be full negotiation with it on all aspects of the contract to ensure there are proper resources put in place to deliver care under the new under sixes scheme.

The union says the Government, in ruling out direct talks on remuneration levels, has effectively ruled out negotiations on everything relating to the new GP scheme.

The IMO has warned that it may take legal action if the Government tries to implement the contract without full negotiations taking place.

A High Court hearing to review the legal position on whether the IMO is precluded by competition law from negotiating directly on fees is expected to be held in April.