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02nd Sep 2020

Disappointing news: New under 8s GP card may be delayed until 2021

Melissa Carton

Bad news for parents.

For the last few years parents have been able to avail of the free GP cards for all children under the age of six.

The government planned to expand the age bracket to all those under the age of eight this year but now it seems that those plans might be delayed until next year, 2021.

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With more parents concerned about their children’s health due to the current pandemic the news that the new GP visit cards won’t be extended to seven and eight year olds until at least next year could not come at a worse time.

Leo Varadkar recently raised the issue at the weekly Cabinet meeting on foot of a report in the Sunday Independent about the delay in rolling out free GP care to children under eight, which had been due to go ahead this month.

As it stands the new scheme will not go ahead this month and there is no new date confirmed for when it will go ahead.

As one of the parents whose child recently outgrew the under 6s card I have to say it’s incredibly frustrating.

According to the Independent, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly sought to assure Mr Varadkar it remained his intention to press ahead with the under 8s scheme, but noted the ongoing uncertainty and pressures on the health system due to the current pandemic.

Unfortunately it’s because of Covid-19 that parents need these cards more than ever as some GP clinics charge for over the phone consultations regarding coronavirus symptoms.

A spokesperson for the Tánaiste said;

“It is fully understood that the project is delayed as a consultation on fees with the Irish Medical Organisation has yet to commence due to the pressure on general practice and on the Department of Health in dealing with the pandemic itself.”