Nearly half of the country's GPs are charging up to €49 for a private consultation, according to a new survey.
It shows there has been an increase of up to €10 in the price charged by family doctors for seeing private patients and some GPs are charging over €50 a visit.
The survey by the Irish Medical Times of 61 GPs in rural and urban areas found that almost half charge between €40 and €49 to see a private patient.
It compares with between €30 and €39 a visit a year ago.
