Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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487. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to extend free general practitioner care, especially to children over six years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11296/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Universal GP care without fees for all children under the age of 6 years was successfully introduced in 2015. Shortly afterwards, the second phase implemented universal GP care without fees for all people aged 70 years and over. This has resulted in approximately 800,000 people now being eligible for GP care without fees, without having to undergo a means test and represents a major step forward in improving access, quality and affordability of health care in Ireland. The under-6s GP service contract, which includes age-based preventive checks focused on health and well-being and a cycle of care for children with asthma, underlines the Government’s commitment to enhancing primary care and keeping people well in their own community.

The Programme for Government commits to extending in phases, and subject to negotiation with GPs, free GP care to all children under 18 years of age. Legislative changes will be required for any such extension of GP care without fees to further cohorts of the population.

The extension of GP care without fees to children aged 6-11 years is one of the actions listed in the HSE's National Service Plan 2017, however the timetable is subject to the outcome of discussions with GP representatives on this and other contractual matters.

The next phase of discussions on a new GP contract is under way and engagement with GP representative bodies has commenced. As with any negotiation-type process, and given the range and complexity of the issues to be discussed, the engagement may take some time. While I am of course anxious to see good progress made, it is not my intention to set a deadline for completion of discussions.