Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1095. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the monthly medication costs are capped at €15 for a married couple and €10.50 for a single person. [21361/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Prescription charges were introduced in the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2010, to address the rising costs in the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme. Since 2010 eligible persons are subject to a co-payment; they are required to pay a prescription charge for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacies.

To clarify, this charge does not vary between married couples and single persons. Additionally, there is no current charge set at a monthly cap of €10.50.

Monthly prescription charges are currently capped at €20 for each person or family unit aged under 70 years, and €15 per person or family unit aged over 70 years.