Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

The Government is committed to introducing free GP care within its term and it will be over a four-year period. The issue is the phasing of that and identifying the best way in order that we can do it in a controlled way to ensure the budget does not run out of control and the system is geared up. We are aware that primary care is underdeveloped. We want to see more GPs involved and more practice nurses and other allied health professionals. We must gear up. That is why it is being phased over a number of years.

There are different ways of dealing with the issue of category of person but we are trying to do it logically and within the budget provided. I accept the point the long-term illness scheme is problematic. It is far from ideal. In phasing in free GP care, we are trying to look at how we can target those not covered currently by a medical card but who are the most sick, and those within the long-term illness scheme are part of that. We will look then at other groups to whom we will extend the free GP care. That is why we are talking about enabling legislation and it is why we will look in greater detail at the nature of the regulations we will introduce, which will enable us to include the greatest number of persons in the greatest need within the budget available to us.

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