Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have similar amendments. I agree with what an Teachta Paul Murphy has said. I want to include a reference to the need to have a GP certificate because it is a fact in this State, and I am not comparing us to every other country, that we do not have universal, free at the point of delivery access to GP care. It is not true to say the majority of low-paid workers have access to it. In fact, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has debunked that. They do not necessarily have access to a GP card.

People will have 70% of a low income on their first statement and will have to put their hand in their pocket to go to a doctor. This acts as a deterrent. The point of this scheme, as the Tánaiste has said, is to be a positive thing, and it should be a positive thing, but if it does not work and people think they have to go to work because they cannot afford not to, then that defeats the purpose of the scheme. I therefore specifically included this amendment - I had another amendment on it that was ruled out of order, but we can debate that on another day - which references the need for workers to have the medical certificate. This is another financial burden on them.

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