Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Prescription charges were introduced in the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2010. On 1 November 2020, prescription charges were reduced as follows:

• For those aged over 70, €1 per item with a maximum charge of €10 per month.
• For those aged under 70, €1.50 per item with a maximum charge of €15 per month.

On the basis that the prescription charge income for 2023 was €91.8m, the abolition of prescription charges would be expected to cost in excess of that.

This costing does not take account of changes in demographics or in eligibility numbers (i.e., changes in the number of medical card holders). It also does not take account of how the abolition of prescription charges may impact on claimant behaviour.