Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a question for the Department on the amount of money it costs the State for the general medical scheme and for the drug payment scheme. I spoke to the Minister about it. There is an issue with quantifying the private patient on no medication because it is very common. In the UK, it is provided free universally. As far as I know from my time in the UK, it is for a year after one gives birth. Essentially one gets a temporary medical card while pregnant and for a year after. That was 12 years ago. Perhaps it has changed.