Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is something we have to keep under constant review for the very reasons the Deputy has outlined. We have substantially reduced the cost of healthcare right across the board. Approximately 1.6 million people now have GP or GMS cards. For the first time ever, over half of our population is entitled to free GP care. However, as the Deputy rightly points out, notwithstanding increases in the over-70 medial card thresholds in 2021, we have not moved the other thresholds in some time and increases in income are inevitably pushing some people just short of where they were previously. The Deputy will also be aware that a very considerable number of discretionary medical cards have been issued as well. The point he raises about those who move to wrong side of the threshold because of quite marginal changes to social welfare payments, among other things, is certainly something we need to keep under review. We are aware that a number of people are being affected by that.

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