Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1 of 14 February 2013, if he will clarify what he means where he points out that legislation to extend access to general practitioner services without fees to persons with prescribed illnesses and it will be published shortly; the expected date for publication of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10358/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Government's Programme for Government committed it to major reforms of the manner in which health services are delivered. As part of the reform programme, Universal Primary Care is to be introduced on a phased basis during its term of office. Primary legislation is being prepared to give effect to this commitment. The wording of this legislation, which will allow the Minister for Health to make regulations to extend access to GP services without fees to persons with prescribed illnesses, is currently being drafted by the Office of the Attorney General and the Department. As the legislation is still being drafted, I am not in a position to give a definite date for its publication. Details of an implementation timeframe, illnesses to be covered etc and application details will be announced in due course.