FF: Varadkar proposal 'nothing more than buying votes'

Fianna Fáil have dismissed the Health Minister Leo Varadkar's pledge to extend free GP care to all children under the age of 18 as a "pre-election gimmick".

Mr Varadkar made the announcement in his speech at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties last night.

He said the extension would be brought in if the Government is re-elected, and would first apply to the Under 12s before covering all children.

Fianna Fáil Councillor and trainee doctor Jack Chambers has been highly critical of the announcement, saying: "Minister Varadkar is engaging in another election stunt and gimmick. This government has failed to deliver free GP care for all by 2016, which was their commitment at the last General Election.

"It's nothing more than buying votes and distracting people from the real issues in the health service and this minister is more focussed on managing the message than managing the Irish health service. And this needs to change."