Confusing process to get GP visit card has kept many applicants away

Social Justice Ireland’s research and policy analyst, Michelle Murphy, was taken aback by the amount of information requested in the application

The GP visit card now offers people aged eight to 69 free GP appointments. It also gives free access to care for chronic diseases, including asthma, type 2 diabetes, and COPD. However, two years on, only 12% of those people have applied. File photo

Applying for a GP visit card based on income is either confusing or straightforward, depending on who you ask, but the bottom line is that hardly anyone has applied.

Back in mid-2023, we were told 430,000 people would be eligible for these cards based on their spending compared to their income. Up to then, the cards were only available to over 70s, young children, and people on carers’ allowance or benefit.