John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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1415. To ask the Minister for Health when he expects to bring forward legislation to expand the GP card scheme to children under six and seven years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16642/23]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1533. To ask the Minister for Health when free GP-visit cards for children aged six and seven years of age will commence as announced in Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17096/23]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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1584. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress in reaching agreement in extending GP cover for children up to 8 and 12 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17334/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1415, 1533 and 1584 together.

The Government is committed to increasing access to GP care without charges for children, an important healthcare measure that will remove a potentially prohibitive cost barrier to accessing GP care and will help to improve children’s health as they develop. At present all children under six years of age are eligible for a GP visit card and therefore GP care without charges.

The Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Act 2020 provides, amongst other things, for the phased expansion of GP care without fees to all children aged 12 years and under. It is currently planned to expand the provision of GP care without charges to all children aged 6 and 7.

My officials and the HSE have made preparations for this expansion.  Engagements were held with the IMO, representing GPs, throughout last year, and engagement is ongoing in relation to the necessary fee structures for this service. It is intended to introduce the expansion as early as possible.