Free U-6s GP care bill passes, but no extension

The Government has passed legislation to introduce free GP care for the under-sixes, but rejected proposals from independent TDs to easily extend the free services for children when they exceed that age.

Junior Health Minister Alex White also faced calls last night to explain if he had inadvertently misled the Dáil on discretionary medical cards when it was insisted previously just 1,000 people had lost benefits.

The debate came as TDs debated the passing of a health bill which will give effect to the Coalition’s promise to give children under six years of age free GP care this year.

The measure will now be introduced by the autumn, Mr White told Oireachtas members.

It is the first stage of the Government’s commitment to introduce, on a phased basis, a universal GP service without fees as promised in the Programme for Government.

Mr White said after the bill passed through the Dáil: “The passing of this legislation is a landmark in advancing a historic public health initiative to deliver GP services to the population free at the point of access.”

He also admitted during the debate that GP cards for children would cease to function once they reached the age of six. Extending free GP care beyond that age was a process to be decided, TDs heard.

But Independent TD, Róisín Shortall criticised the Government’s decision to reject a proposal from the opposition benches which would allow any extension to be seamlessly agreed through a ministerial order rather than through the passing of primary legislation.

TDs yesterday also raised concern that the minister gave inaccurate figures, as reported in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, when it was stated last year that just 1,000 people had lost cards since 2011. The Coalition said last week that 12,000 who had lost discretionary cards through a review process since 2011 would have them restored.