All medical card holders are required to pay a prescription charge of €2 per item for medicines and other prescription items supplied to them by community pharmacies under the General Medical Services scheme. This charge is subject to a monthly cap of €20 for each person or family. This ensures that no person or family pays more than €20 per month.
Any future change to the prescription charge is a matter which I intend to consider in the context of the implementation of the health commitments in the Programme for Government and having regard to the funding available.