Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To answer Deputy John Brady's first question, it was me who provided for the introduction of free GP care for children under six and adults over 70. Alongside my Minister of State at the time, former Deputy Kathleen Lynch, I was very proud to be able to provide GP care without fees for 350,000 children under six years and adults over 70. I anticipate that the Government will go further and extend free GP care to other age groups. However, it was not without difficulty and resistance from my own profession, although none of them it seems wants to roll it back at this stage. In terms of dates, the extension of benefits to the self-employed will begin in March, while the extension of other dental benefits for everyone else will take place from October. That is what we have been funded to do and it is included in the Estimates.

The reason I want to do it by commencement order is I want to have talks and negotiations with the relevant bodies. There have been meetings with officials and an exchange of correspondence. However, as Deputy Maria Bailey pointed out, there is no way I can conclude them until the Bill is passed. That will give me the legislative authority to come to an agreement. Until the Estimates are passed, I will not have the money to pay for it. Neither of these things has happened. That is what it all boils down to. March is not that far away and it is an ambitious enough timeline, assuming the Bill is passed by Christmas and not delayed in the Seanad. If it is, there is no way it can be done by March because that House can delay legislation for 90 days. That is why a commencement order is needed, not a date that it might not be possible to meet.