Mary believes in a public health service which provides everyone with access to high-quality and affordable care when they need it. Fianna Fáil has introduced several measures which have delivered fundamental public health services to the highest standard through investment, innovation and reform.

Recently legislation was passed which has abolished public inpatient hospital charges. This will remove the public in-patient charge of €80 per day, up to €800 in a year for people accessing care as a public patient in public hospitals.

Other measures include:

–        Free GP visits for children under the age of 6

–        Free contraception for women

–        A reduction in the Drug Payment Scheme threshold from €114 to €80

–        Expansion of medical card eligibility 

Later this year, we will begin to fund IVF treatment and Free GP Visit Cards will be made available to people earning no more than the median household income of €46,000.