The heads of a Bill to bring in prescription charges for medical card holders were approved at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
A Government spokesman said it was hoped to have the Bill enacted into law “before the summer”.
The controversial move, announced in December’s budget, will see medical card holders having to pay prescription charges for the first time. They will pay 50 cent for each item they are prescribed. The charge will be capped at €10 per family per month, and the change is expected to raise €25 million for the State in a full year.
The change was expected to come into force on April 1st but it has taken time to draft the necessary legislation.