Minister for Health to abolish 50c prescription charge

Dr James Reilly has said that the 50c prescription charge serves as a deterrent to people obtaining essential medication.

MINISTER FOR HEALTH Dr James Reilly has said that he will abolish the 50c prescription charge, possibly as early as the end of this month.

Reilly said that the charge could lead to people, particularly the least well-off in society, not filling necessary prescriptions.

The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament has welcomed the announcement, saying in a statement that it agrees the charge is a deterrent that may prevent many medical card holders from obtaining essential medication.

During an interview with RTÉ, Reilly also said that the problem of emergency department overcrowding would take more than a year to deal with.

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Jennifer Wade

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