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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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File photograph: The comments were made by a councillor aligned with the Social Democrats.
A councillor based in Kildare has said that people 'shouldn’t settle for watered-down alternatives' when it comes to medical care.
Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender made the comments in relation to the expansion of the GP Visit Card scheme, which took place on Friday, August 11 last.
The Newbridge politician praised the recent move, saying: "This expansion, which now provides free GP care to all children under 8, is set to benefit over 78,000 children, marking a commendable advance towards enhancing healthcare accessibility for potentially half a million individuals."
However, he said that many families still face challenges in accessing local GPs, and highlighted what he called 'the pressing need to progress beyond this to offer a full-free Medical Card, addressing the often prohibitive prescription costs.'
Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender. File Pic.
Cllr Pender explained: "The GP Visit Card expansion is a positive direction, but our ultimate goal as a nation should be to realize the core principles behind Sláinte Care: a medical system that responds to people's needs rather than their financial capacity.
"We shouldn’t settle for watered-down alternatives," asserted Cllr Pender.
The current move is part of the 2023 GP Agreement, an initial phase that will soon be complemented by free GP care expansions for people with incomes up to the median in the coming months.
Parents and guardians are urged to register eligible children online for the Under 8s GP Visit Card scheme, and provisions are currently in place for those who may face challenges with online registration.
Cllr Pender reiterared his point by saying: "While we celebrate these incremental achievements, we must champion the broader objective: a healthcare system where care is determined by need, not by one's ability to pay.
"It’s time to stay true to the spirit of Sláinte Care."
In related news, Cllr Pender voiced his concerns over Daft.ie's latest housing report on Friday last.
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