Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 December 2005
212 Ms McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the cost of providing general practitioner only cards for persons under five years of age; the cost of providing general practitioner only cards for children under ten; and the cost of providing general practitioner only cards to all school going children. [38044/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn the basis of the figures provided by the Health Service Executive, shared services, primary care reimbursement service, formerly the General Medical Services (Payments) Board, for 2004, the estimated cost of providing GP visit cards for persons under five years of age is approximately €56 million. The estimated cost of providing GP visit cards for persons under ten years of age is approximately €108 million. The estimated cost of providing GP visit cards to all persons in first and second-level education is approximately €154 million. These estimates do not take into account fee increases applicable under the terms of the Labour Relations Commission's recommendation of 20 June 2005 or any additional costs which might result from future industrial relations negotiations.
