Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.

As announced in Budget 2023, the Government will make available access to GP care without charges to those earning no more than the median income. Following the recent agreement with the IMO, the Government has confirmed that the first phase of this expansion in access to care will commence on 11 September, and the second and final phase will commence on 13 November.

The median income is determined by the CSO in its Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) survey. The income thresholds for access to GP visit cards are being increased to the levels indicated in that survey as being in the range for median household equivalised disposable income by household type. Disposable income is income after taxes and social transfers. Equivalised income allows comparison between individuals with varying family and household circumstances. The final thresholds recently published represent approximately a 37.5% increase on current basic rates for people aged under 65.

For a single person living alone who is under the age of 65, the income threshold for access to a GP Visit Card is currently €304. This will increase to €361 in the first phase, and to €418 in the second phase. For a single person living with family, the income threshold is currently €271. It will increase to €322 in the first phase and to €373 in the second phase. For single people, the weekly median equivalised real disposable income is €317 to €570.

For single parents, couples and families the current basic rate is €441. The basic rate will increase to €524 in the first phase and €607 in the second phase (with no changes to dependent rates). The weekly median equivalised real disposable income is €373 to €613 for households likely to fall within this categorisation.

The new income thresholds are based on considerations of the total size of the population modelled to become eligible for GP visit cards under the expansion (using the ESRI SWITCH model), the distribution of that population, equivalised and non-equivalised household income bands by household composition, and average household costs such as rent, mortgage, and childcare payments.

An individual’s qualifying financial threshold for a GP visit card is calculated by adding together three factors:

• a basic rate - an amount of money based on your age and household, as set out above;
• an amount allocated for each dependant; and
• an amount allocated for allowable expenses (for example, rent, mortgage payments, childcare costs, etc.).

The published income thresholds are the thresholds which apply before the allowable amounts for dependents and allowable expenses are factored in.