Physicians received nearly € 549 million for the treatment of patients with medical records last year, including three who received € 900,000 each

GPs were paid nearly € 549 million for the treatment of patients with medical records last year.

Up to 37 doctors received more than € 500,000 each.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that a total of € 548.6 million were paid for a medical card scheme in Ireland last year for 2880 individual GPs.

This includes practice support payments received from the HSE.

Three Dublin-based GPs received more than € 900,000, 155 GPs received more than € 400,000, and the average doctor's payment was € 190,000.

Dr Greg Kelly, a member of the Irish Medical Organization, defends the payments.

Dr Kelly said: "What we are talking about here is not the salaries of the doctors, it is the amount of money paid into the practice of the doctors to fulfill the whole practice and to pay all the staff.

"In some cases, there may be six to eight physicians working within the practice. There may be a number of nurses, plus the provision of facilities, whether you are building it or hiring it."

In addition to these figures, Irish non-working hours were paid 16.8 million euros last year.