Just over 1,000 given doctor-only medical cards

JUST over 1,000 people have received a medical card entitling them to free GP visits a year after the Government announced the initiative designed to benefit 200,000 low-income families.

The "doctor visit only" medical card was announced by Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney as part of the November 2004 health Estimate.

Then she said: "I want to use resources to benefit as many people on lower incomes as possible. Parents on low incomes should not have to worry about the cost of bringing their child to a doctor. These new measures will take away that worry for many thousands of parents."