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THE GOVERNMENT HAS said free GP care for children under six will be implemented later this year after the legislation passed its final stages in the Dáil today.
The Bill giving effect to the measure passed its final stages in the Dáil today with new Health Minister Leo Varadkar accepting an amendment made by Senator John Crown to ban the gagging of doctors who speak out against the health service.
Crown’s move caused controversy last week after the government lost a Seanad vote to try and block the amendment. It had been thought this could delay the legislation but this was incorrect.
The Department of Health said today that “while it always was the intention to ensure freedom of expression for GPs” the amendment from Crown “copperfastens” this right.
Democracy Matters / TwitterVaradkar accepts @ProfJohnCrown Seanad amendment to ban gagging orders which prevent doctors from criticising the HSE.
— Democracy Matters (@DemMattersIRL) July 17, 2014
The move to provide free GP care has faced opposition from GPs and many have questioned whether the €37 million in funding provided for the measure will be sufficient.
The government had hoped to have it in place by the middle of this year but it is now not expected to be implemented until later this year.
The Department estimates that 240,000 children that currently must pay to see a GP will benefit from the measure.
Commenting on the passage of the legislation today, Varadkar said it is “a significant step in the Government’s plan to provide universal health care”.
Department of Health / TwitterPassage of Health (GP Service) Bill for free primary care for under-sixes a historic moment – Varadkar & Lynch http://t.co/M5jeKgUnLh
— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) July 17, 2014
“This particular measure is the keystone of the Government’s policy in the area of primary care. We are shifting the focus of healthcare from hospitals to the community, and from treating illnesses to maintaining good health,” he said.
Junior health minister Kathleen Lynch said the measure will be of enormous benefit to hard-pressed families with young children”.
As part of their statement of priorities released last week, the Taoiseach and new Tánaiste Joan Burton committed rolling out free GP care to over 70s and school-age children in the coming months.
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Never seen an episode
@ed w: How grown adults like fantasy nonsense is beyond me too.
@ed w: haven’t witnessed a great show So… and its a great drama that has you on the edge of your seat so what if it a fantasy
@Fionan MacKenna: 100′s of millions can’t be wrong
@ed w: Give it a go. You won’t regret it.
@Stan:
Fantasy is an escape from reality, anything is possible, the only limitation is ones imagination.
I would much prefer to watch Game of Thrones than big brother. I’m not a reality tv fan.
Fantasy and science fiction would be my favorite genres, then action and paranormal *not horror*.
@Lily: Comedy and sitcoms good too. RTE make no worthy comedy. Only reasonable show was the savage eye. UK sitcoms way better than American Friends big bang etc shite.
@ed w: I have but not on Sky, the wonders of an Android Box
@Paul Furey: 100′s of millions can be very wrong but surely its down to individual choice and taste. I wouldn’t be the biggest fan of “GoT” but to diss adults for liking fantasy isn’t right either. It’s an escape route from reality. To each their own!
@Joseph Dempsey: Care to share how u presumably, stream shows?
@Stan: kodi and the pulse build is all you need to Google
@Stan: download Showbox apk online (not play store) it has everything Netflix has and everything it doesn’t..
Sky is a rip off. Why is there no cheap way of phoning from here? It’s free to the North and UK to phone them but here there 0818 numbers cost fortune.
@Stan: if you have sky broadband you can phone for free
@Stan: I don’t think sky is a rip off at all. If you can’t afford it, saorview is free
@Michael Geraghty: They would use you on the next ad to spin that about cost. Leo would recruit you to his spin team too.
@Stan: pal it’s simple. If you think it’s a rip off don’t buy it. Plenty of others. If you can’t afford it. Use saorview. It’s a really basic point I’m making and nothing whatsoever to do with politics. U need a hobby
I’d be more inclined to think the increase in subscription is due to SKY working out how to block their channels from illegal card sharing boxes earlier this year and IPTV being useless for live sport.
Give us back Fox News!!
@Tristan Rowntree: Too right. Narrative hegemony is so dangerous
@Tristan Rowntree: agreed i miss it, just got comedy central and Dave now tp watch.
@Tristan Rowntree: I’m sure the negotiations for fox are the sling through the journal comments section looking for inspiration for their next multi million euro decision.
Kodi all the way
Pity they didn’t film it here – but we moaned about Schelig….
same over and over again….harry potter with stubble
Love them or hate them, Sky are the kings when it comes to television, they’re streets ahead of everyone else. Their phone and broadband isn’t bad either, and in fairness they’ll bend over backwards to keep you as a customer.
Looks crap.
@purple rain: Prince was crap
@Paul Furey: who ?
Virgin being such a useless shower of *@%$#@¥ is why i switched
have your say